Out of Harm's Way
by somebody101
Summary: Collection of one shots of Nick and Warrick's friendship as it develops over the years. Goes further in depth on certain scenes and aspects from various episodes, showing just how they've come to be such close friends. Ch. 46, Grave Danger Part 7, is up.
1. Who Are You

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"What in the _hell_ were you thinking! How could you just leave him alone?"

"Warrick, just calm down…"

"No. There's no way that I'm gonna just _calm down_. He could've died for God's sake!"

"I made a mistake, and I'll pay for it…"

"You almost _paid_ for it with Nick's life! That woman wasn't capable of making a rational decision. I saw her in the interrogation room, Grissom! That isn't just a mistake… It was hard enough losing Holly. I-I couldn't stand losing _Nick_ the same way."

Grissom nodded slightly as he bit his lip. He knew every word was true, and he could feel his stomach churn at the thought of finding Nick's lifeless body in the Hendler's house. _It's ok. He's alive, he's going to be just fine._ "H-how is he doing?"

"Better, I guess. He's still shaking like a leaf, and I've _never_ seen him as jumpy as he is now. Catherine and Sara are getting his statement on what happened right now."

* * *

"Hey, Nick. H-how are you holding up?"

"I-I've b-b-been b-better…" he stuttered not risking even a quick glance at his best friend.

"Y-yeah… I'm sure you have."

"Have y-you e-ever h-h-had someone…"

"No… no one's ever d-done th-that to me, but, well, if someone had I know I-I'd be even more freaked out than you are now." Warrick answered, hoping that it would help the man, who had become his best friend over the past three years, feel better.

"I… I was so s-scared. I just kept picturing her pulling the t-t-trigger…" Nick's voice was soon lost as he let out a sob and Warrick quickly pulled him into a close hug as he felt a steady stream of tears begin to soak his shirt. He clung tightly to Nick as he felt tears building up in his own eyes as more tears fell against his shoulder. Images of Nick's body lying on a slab in the morgue plagued his thoughts. _You're still alive… you'll be ok. _

"It's ok, Nick. You're safe, man, you're safe…"

"Then w-why am I s-still so s-scared?" He gasped for air silently as he clung to Warrick as much as he could. He bit his lip as he tried to keep his hands from trembling any more. _Why can't I just be okay? Why am I being so pathetic about this?_

"I d-dunno, but I swear you're going to be fine Nick… no one is going to hurt you. I promise."

"I j-just k-k-kept seeing her pulling t-the t-t-t-trigger… I kept s-seeing m-my b-b-blood all over t-the wall… and p-pool… o-on t-the f-f-floor… I s-still… see i-it…"

"It's ok, bro, you're gonna be ok… I promise, you'll get over this." Warrick whispered as he patted his friend gently on the back. _God only knows how terrified you were. I may not be able to help you, but I'll be damned if I don't try my best.

* * *

_

"Hey, Catherine. Uh… what exactly are you doing?"

"Shh!" She whispered furiously, cutting him off, "Warrick's in there… with Nick. They've been sitting there for almost an hour already."

"Doing what?"

"Talking, mostly, but… well, Nick has pretty much been crying into Warrick's shoulder for a while now. Why don't we go wait for them in the break room? I'm sure they'll be ok on their own for a while; besides, they'd probably appreciate some more privacy…" She whispered before turning around and leaving the locker room and its two occupants alone. Grissom watched the two men crying for a brief moment more, before he too headed back down the hallway to catch up with Catherine.

* * *

"You know something?" Nick asked quietly as he felt the tears begin to stop and he slowly sat back, "Y-you… called me 'bro'… w-why?"

"Because, _bro_, you're basically a brother to me. I mean, you're really more than just my best friend. Besides, we've got each others' backs, you know?"

"Yeah… we'll always do our best to keep the other out of harm's way…"

"You wanna make it more official?" Warrick responded with a weak grin.

"What, you mean like a pact or somethin?" Nick shot back with a slight chuckle, "Sure… I hereby swear that I'll do my best to keep Warrick out of trouble…" He smiled a bit more as he let the sarcasm sink in.

"Ah, come-on bro; you don't have to go mocking me. I was just making a suggestion, but I _do_ want you to know… I'll always have your back. Don't you _ever_ be afraid to come to me, got it? If not, then I'll spend the rest of the night knocking some sense into you."

"I got it, and… I _will_ do my best… you know, to keep you out of trouble." Nick whispered slowly as he gave Warrick another hug, and he felt another smile break free as he realized neither of them were crying anymore.

"No offense, but I hope that's not necessary…"

"Yeah, and vice-versa… I hate being a victim. At least now I have you, and the team; you know, people who can understand…"

"You have anything else you want to tell me, _bro_?"

"I-I… can't. Not tonight; I j-just n-n-need some sleep, I think."

"Well then, let's get you home. I'll drop you off, and don't worry, I'll pick you up tomorrow before shift… okay?"

"T-thanks, I can't thank you enough, bro." He offered before stifling a yawn.

"Hey you guys? I'm taking off, I'll be back soon. I'm just goin' to give Nick a ride home; you know, make sure he gets some sleep."

"Sure thing, and Warrick, I can't tell you how sorry I am." Grissom offered, and Warrick shook his head slightly.

"So, Catherine, how much did you lay into him?"

"More than you could ever imagine, but that's a tale for another day, go get him home."

Twenty minutes later Warrick found himself helping the suddenly half asleep Nick into his house. It didn't take long for him to get Nick to his bed, and after realizing Nick wasn't in any shape to take care of himself, he carefully removed Nick's shoes and helped him lie down. After he pulled a warm blanket over him he gave Nick's shoulder another slight squeeze.

"Sleep well, Nick." He whispered, before making his way out into the man's hallway. Just as he began to close the door he could hear Nick's voice immediately call out. Unsure of what Nick had said he cautiously opened the door, and reentered the room, only to see Nick shaking his head rapidly and muttering incomprehensible phrases. _Great, nightmares. Well, if I have to stay here all night, then so be it._ With a grim smile he grabbed a chair and carefully set it next to the bed. After finding a comfortable position he grabbed Nick's hand, silently praying that nothing like this would ever happen to his newly recognized brother again.

It wasn't long before he fell asleep still clinging to his best friend's hand from his chair, and neither moved as they slept peacefully while the sun began to rise, bringing with it a new day.

* * *

Notes: I'm not sure if this is the end; I might continue with a few more extra interactions between them following other episodes, but if I do, it could be a while before it'd come out. I've got a lot to do the next two weeks, so my updates on C.P. might take a bit longer, and I've also got about four or five other stories in the process of being written at essentially random intervals. As I get more time there should be some updates to my profile which might give you something of an estimate of what'll be updated next, or what I'm currently focusing on. As always, I love reading reviews, and I hope you enjoyed this story! 


	2. Overload

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Why don't I give you a ride home, you've had a hell of a day."

"You have no idea…"

"There's nothing I'd want more than to understand… but I'll settle for giving you a lift."

* * *

Twenty minutes later Warrick was pulling into Nick's driveway. Warrick bit his lip nervously as he noticed how close his best friend was to bursting into tears.

"You look like you've got a lot on your mind, buddy. If you need to talk, I'm right here…" He never got the chance to finish when Nick started to speak quietly.

"I-it… it was the worst fight I'd ever had with my parents. The whole night had been shot to hell right then. I just wanted to go with them, or at least stay home alone. They yelled at me… I yelled right back at them. My father… grounded me for two months, and… t-they didn't even say goodbye. I-it was the first time t-they h-had ever l-l-left me a-at h-home without s-s-saying 'I love you' I was just lying in my bed, crying, when sh-she came in."

Warrick refused to let himself stare in shock. His eyes closed momentarily to ensure that the tears wouldn't fall as he waited for the inevitable ending of the nightmare of a story to come out.

"I-I can't r-really remember… e-everything she d-did to me. I just remember being s-so scared. I remember her hands moving all over... She t-told me t-that I had been bad… that it w-was my p-punishment…" Tears were falling rapidly as he continued, "She h-had me p-p-pinned… I-I couldn't e-even move." Warrick shifted, biting harder on his lip. _How could someone do this to him? Just stay calm. Don't get mad; just be here for Nick, he needs you. He needs a friend; he needs a brother._ "

"I'm so sorry, bro…" Warrick whispered, but he quickly realized that Nick wasn't paying attention as he kept going. His eyes wandered helplessly towards his best friend who was sitting as far from away as possible with his face hidden in his hands.

"I-I was… s-s-so _scared_. I was t-too a-a-afraid to t-tell anyone. I h-had s-seen one of my father's c-c-cases… the boy h-had been t-taken a-away from his parents because s-someone had h-hurt him. I… I thought they were going to either take me away… or that my parents would send me away. They h-had _never_ been t-that m-m-mad at me b-before. I w-was so convinced t-that they h-h-hated me…"

"Hey, now we both _know_ that's not true…" Warrick answered somewhat desperately when he saw the tears coming freely from Nick's eyes despite the fact that he could hardly bring himself to even look up.

"Yeah, I know _now_… I _didn't know then_, Warrick. I didn't know, and then… whenever they left m-me with… a-a b-b-babysitter… we'd h-have f-f-fights. I-I'd hide under m-my b-bed, crying, until… until after they'd get home. I w-was so scared that th-they m-m-might've been… punishing me. I… I d-didn't know what to do. Everytime I have n-nightmares… I wake up, and I-I make myself t-take a sh-shower… use at l-l-least a full b-bar of s-soap…"

Warrick wasn't sure of what to say, or even do as he watched Nick break down even more. He could see how a single person had literally made the other man's life a living hell. His mind tried to evaluate what he might have done, but after a few moments he forced himself to stop and focus on Nick.

"And… now… it's almost worse. Because everytime I see a kid that's been… abused, l-like I was… I remember that I let her get away w-with it. I r-r-remember that she could have ruined so many other kids' lives, and it… it breaks my heart." He let out a loud sob before resting his head in his hands. "I let her go… I-if she hurt… _anyone_… after she did that too me… it's _my_ fault…"

"No, Nick, please, listen to me. There was _nothing _you could've done. You were _nine_ years old… it wasn't your fault. You couldn't stop her from hurting you, and you couldn't have stopped her from hurting anyone else…"

"You're wrong. If I hadn't been so _stupid_… so damn _selfish_… I could've said something. I could've gotten her thrown in jail, but I _didn't_. When I saw that boy… I saw _her_ hurting another little kid, and all because I was _scared_. _I let it happen!_"

Warrick sighed heavily and finally took his eyes away from Nick and towards the peaceful house sitting in front of them. _He finally makes sense. This is why he even became a CSI. This is why he never tried to be selfish, why he doesn't ask for help, it's probably even why he works out so much… _It was his next thought that he suddenly found the words to articulate.

"God, Nick… you're an incredible person."

"Yeah, right… incredibly _pathetic_." Nick shot back quietly with tears still glistening on his face as he let out yet another sob.

"No, I mean… I don't know _anyone_ who could've done as great a job as you have with you life. That poor excuse for a human that did that to you… I wouldn't have been able to get past it. Not as well as you did; I mean, you didn't let her win. You let yourself trust complete strangers… just like you trusted me when you first moved here. You let yourself live… that alone is a bigger accomplishment than most people make, even without going through a hell like that."

"I-it… just _hurts so much_…" Nick whispered as he finally looked up at Warrick. He was surprised when the look Warrick was giving him wasn't one of shame, guilt, or pity. It was a look of pride, and respect, a look that clearly stated 'I'll always be here for you' and it meant the world to Nick.

Neither one knew how long they had been sitting in the Denali talking, but neither cared. Warrick playfully pulled Nick closer and ruffled his hair. Nick retaliated with a soft punch to his buddy's arm. Before either knew it they were hugging each other tightly, letting each other know, in silence, that they would always be there for each other. No matter what.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: I thought this might prove to be a different twist on his background. I've seen a lot of stories that describe what happened, but they all seemed the same with the 'it'll be our secret' or the whole 'you're a good boy', so I decided to go on this route instead. As always please send in your reviews, and there will be more stories to come, although they might not appear in right order of the shows. At the end I plan on putting them all in order, but I wanted to cover some of the bigger episodes, like this one, first. And sorry its been so long to update, but I'll explain why in my profile. 


	3. Boom

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"You loved her didn't you?"

"What makes you say that?" Nick shot back as he leaned against the scalding railing, not bothering to hide the grim look on his face.

"Because, I can see it in your eyes. Damn, man, I can't tell you how sorry I am… I could've beat Ecklie to a pulp after he said some of those things to you."

"What _things_, Warrick? You weren't there." Nick sighed in frustration as he continued staring out at the fountains in front of a casino spray cool water onto the eager people standing nearby. He wiped away some of the sweat from his forehead as they stood motionless in the wind.

"You're right, but news travels fast in the lab; especially when that s.o.b. Ecklie wants it to."

"She didn't deserve to die Warrick. It wasn't enough that she died, I guess… life just had to make _me_ the primary suspect."

"You want to tell me about her?"

"Look, you know my 'reputation' for one night stands…"

"Don't tell me, it's not true is it?"

"No, uh, actually, it is. You see, it, uh, started back in college. I was dating this really nice girl, and well, we slept together one night, and I ended up waking up at like three in the morning screaming and sweating from a nightmare. Sh-she looked at me like I was some kind of freak. She broke up with me, told me to scram, so I did."

"So, what? You just gave a long term relationship one chance?"

"No! Of course not, it's not like I _want_ my relationships to be meaningless. It's just that everytime I've ever tried they ended it. Everytime I'd fall asleep next to a date afterwards I'd have nightmares, I mean I have them all the time, but on certain nights they'd get so bad that I'd wake up screaming. So, after being dumped a few dozen times while I was still freaked out, I gave up. I figured the only relationships I could ever have were ones where I never spent the night, and so I'd just leave after it was over."

"You wanna tell me about those nightmares? It might make them go away."

"I-I can't. I've never even told anyone before, and I'm… I'm not ready."

"Ok, I won't push. So how did she fit into the picture?"

"She was the first woman that didn't look at me like I was a freak when I had a nightmare and woke us both up. She actually cared about how I felt, about what was wrong; she didn't judge me, she didn't send me packing, she just… well, she hugged me. I was head over heels for her then; she made me feel like I mattered, like I wasn't just some freak with problems none of those other women wanted to deal with. She was so…"

"Special?"

"Yeah, but, well, just so much more than special. Now she's gone."

"It wasn't your fault, Nick… when's the funeral?"

"W-why?" Came the slow response as Nick finally looked over at Warrick.

"Because, I told you once that I'd always have your back. I told you once that I'd do my best to keep you out of harm's way, and since we both know you're going to her funeral… Well, I'm not going to let you face that alone. Now, how bout we get on over to my place and out of this damn heat before we both fry."

"Yeah, that sounds good, bro."

Warrick smiled as he patted his friend lightly on the back. Nick offered an uneasy grin in return. _At least I know there's always someone that I can turn to.

* * *

_

"I'm proud of you Catherine." Grissom spoke softly from the doorway watching as Catherine paced slightly in the break room.

"What for? I just processed the evidence." She replied dryly.

"You saved Nick's job… gave him the chance to keep his life together. And, you managed to shove it in Ecklie's face. They should've found the murder weapon… it was right under their noses."

Catherine smirked slightly, "Yeah, we did get to rub their reputations in the mud a bit, but, God, Gil, I was scared. I knew he was innocent, but just seeing how scared _he was_ when I came in to tell him he was cleared… It scared me to see him like that. If I ever see that lost look on his face again… I don't know what I'd do."

* * *

"You want anything?" Warrick asked as he watched Nick walk dejectedly inside.

"Nah… I'm not sure I could keep anything down anyway." Warrick sighed clearly seeing how down Nick still was. _Ok, time for plan b…_

"Ok man, hey, don't get too comfy, we're going out." Warrick called as he disappeared into his room, leaving Nick alone.

"What exactly are you planning on doing with those?" Nick questioned when Warrick returned holding two pairs of binoculars. In response Warrick smiled, and shook his head.

"You can't even tell when someone is taking you to go bird watching?" He joked, "You wanna get going, we've got a whole weekend ahead of us to do whatever, what do you say?"

"Yeah. I could use a good distraction." Nick answered, allowing himself to smile. Just seeing the slight change of his best friend's attitude was enough to make Warrick begin to relax. They knew everything would turn out just fine.

Two days later they found themselves sitting in the break room playing a game, while waiting for the others to arrive. Warrick could clearly see that Nick hadn't forgotten her, and though he had never met her, he knew he'd never forget her either.

"So, how was your weekend?" Greg smiled as she entered the break room.

"Well, I know more about birds than I ever thought possible thanks to good ol' Nick here."

"I bet. I hear tonight could be a long haul. Maybe some of what you learned will be put to good use." Greg watched the two carefully, and he easily realized that there was more to Kristy Hopkins must have had more depth than the skimpy shirt he had processed if Nick had been this disturbed by her death. _She must've really been special, Nick, I'm sorry that you had to lose her like that.

* * *

_

Nick stood beside his best friend as he stared solemnly at the polished headstone. He smiled softly at the picture of Kristy Hopkins, knowing that the photograph encased in glass would never be able to capture her true, even more beautiful spirit. He felt Warrick's hand land on his shoulder, and he blinked away tears before kneeling down, and carefully placing the white roses in front of the headstone that shimmered in the sunlight. He stood slowly, and dropped a single red rose on top of the others before turning around and giving Warrick a long hug.

"You, good man? We've got all day, so you don't have to rush anything."

"Nah, I'll be good. Thanks man, I'm not sure I could've done this on my own."

"I'll be here _whenever_ you need me." Nick smiled at Warrick's comment, and they had only walked a few steps away, when he stopped.

Warrick almost commented, but stopped when he distinctly heard Nick whisper, "Goodbye, and I'll always love you."

Neither one spoke as they walked together towards Warrick's SUV. Both of them knew that they could count on each other, and at that moment it was all either of them needed for comfort.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes:Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you take the time to review! As far as the next chapter goes I'm not sure what episode/scene I want to play out, but it should be updated sometime in the near future! Thanks for the reviews, and support so far.


	4. Primun Non Nocere

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"What are _you_ doing here? I thought you left."

"I'm playing cards with a friend." Nick answered before taking a seat.

"Whatever." Warrick responded irritably after a few minutes of silence.

"I thought we were friends; I though we were supposed to have each other's backs. When did this become a one-sided deal, Warrick? Why is it that I'm the only one who ever _has_ to accept help?" Nick waited in silence for an answer, but when Warrick remained silent he decided to take the initiative once more, "Why, Warrick? Because I've been a victim since I was _nine_ years old?" He paused again, then sighed in frustration as the man sitting next to him stared idly at his cards. "You were right about one thing though. I _don't _know _you_. You know my worst nightmares, you know things about me that no one else ever will, because I trusted you. Maybe you don't trust me enough to tell me anything about your problems; maybe you just want to be alone. Just take it from someone who _was alone_ for over _twenty years_… it isn't something I could wish on _anyone_… especially _you_. Oh, and I'll stay." He finished, returning his attention to the game.

Nick quickly stood up, and Warrick briefly looked him in the eyes. He was surprised to see the tears building up in his best friend's eyes before Nick took off towards the nearest exit. A quiet sigh was all he emitted when he saw Nick stop for a brief moment to wipe his eyes. Then he turned his attention back towards the cards. Each of his piles were nearly impossible to beat, and he smiled once the dealer showed that his cards totaled well over twenty-one. In turn he was handed more chips, and they both paused to look at Nick's top card.

Out of curiosity Warrick slowly moved the king of hearts and flipped over the bottom card to reveal the two of hearts. He had never been big on signs, but he had to admit that the cards seemed to describe the man who had only tried to help him. _Yeah, that's you Nick, strong and proud on the inside, broken and hurt on the inside. And yet you stuck with what you had, and you still won. _His eyes wandered back towards the large glass doors, but Nick was long gone, and he felt a twinge of guilt creep through him. _Nah, you're not weak and broken on the inside, you just don't hide it from the people you trust, and you trusted me… _It was with that thought that he quickly stood up, and headed for the exit, only stopping long enough to grab Nick's winnings, and hurrying out the door. Several minutes later he was sitting in front of Nick's home, trying to build up the courage to see his friend.

"Nick, come on, bro, open up." Warrick called out as he rung the doorbell once more. When he was only greeted by silence he began pounding on the door. "Come on, bro, I know you're in there… please, just open the door."

The door swung open, and Warrick was somewhat surprised by the vicious glare Nick was sporting. "You wouldn't talk earlier, so why bother now? Maybe after twenty years of being alone you'll understand why I'm this angry, maybe it'll take decades worth of guilt and shame before you can let anyone help you. I thought we were best friends, 'brothers' even, but I know better now. It's a two way street, Warrick, and I can't go both ways at once."

"I'm sorry, Nick. I was just… being an idiot, I was a jerk, and I let that girl get between us. I know you don't know much about my past, but that's because I've never told anyone before."

"I never told people about my nightmares before I told you. I only told Catherine that I had been molested; it's not like I've shared the details of that night or the effects of it on me to anyone else except you. You wouldn't even let me help you move on from Holly Gribbs. So why not? Is it that you're afraid, or don't you trust me enough?"

"You want to know why? It's because I'm an imbecile, Nick. I should've let you help me, and you did help me, whether I wanted to openly accept it or not. I can't believe I actually left the table; you must be a good influence."

"I doubt it."

"Well, I did collect _your_ winnings. You were lucky the dealer busted." Warrick started, trying a different tactic to fix this setback in their friendship.

"Hmm, must be a one time thing. I've never had good luck."

"Well, you can have some of mine. That is, of course, excluding the luck of getting to be your friend."

Both smiled, and Nick playfully hit his arm. "So, why didn't you tell me you could play the piano, and actually write songs?"

After a deep sigh Warrick ploughed into the story. Nick listened intently as Warrick explained how he had come to live with his grandmother, and some of the harder points in his youth. About never knowing his father. How his mother had died, and he still wasn't entirely clear what had happened to her, and how, when he was seven, he had to live with his grandma. He was about to continue when Nick broke in.

"Ok, Warrick. If you want to keep going you can, but I think we're at least even now."

"Yeah, there isn't much more, I became a runner, gave my Grams a lot of scares… that whole deal." Warrick smiled, relieved that Nick had had the heart to let him stop. They both knew that the other still had secrets and even more nightmares from their pasts, but they also knew how hard it was to share some of those secrets.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. So, how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, or I will be."

"Damn, Warrick, didn't we just go over this? If you were fine, you wouldn't be here. Besides, I know 'fine' and I know that you're hurting." He sighed heavily before finishing, "Listen, if it helps any… I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to get hurt, and you deserved to know the truth."

"Nah, man, you shouldn't be sorry. I was the jerk. I didn't want to believe you, and I let myself run away into some fantasy world. Actually, I want to apologize for not trusting you before; you've always had my back, and I just pushed you away."

"It's ok, _bro_. It'll take a lot more than some woman to break up this friendship, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. We're like brothers-"

"Nah, we're not _like_ brothers, Warrick. We _are_ brothers; even you ought to know that." Nick grinned, and Warrick couldn't help but laugh.

"Ok, so what's the agenda for today then, Nick?"

"I'm thinking I kick your butt on some game, and then we call the others and go get some food."

"Sounds like a plan, so what game is it gonna be?"

"Ah, doesn't matter, I can whoop you at any of em."

"You wish little man."

"Oh, well, now it's on, how much you wanna bet I win?"

An hour later they found themselves waiting in the small diner for the others to arrive while Nick grinned triumphantly and flipped through the small handful of twenties he had won. Warrick did his best to glare, and couldn't help but laugh when Catherine showed up from nowhere and grabbed it from his hand. Nick just smirked, and pulled Catherine down onto the bench before managing to free the bills from her hand.

"Oh, and Warrick, I thought you said you grabbed my winnings?"

"You're holding your 'winnings' right there, buddy."

"Hey, then you still owe me for that bet…"

"No way, man, you just got lucky that that car alarm went off; you probably even staged it."

"Oh, come on, you lost, I won, fair and square, now hand over the dough."

"What do you think, Catherine, should I pay him?"

"If you don't you'll be hearing about it all night, so you may as well just give the man his money. Of course if he keeps waving it around then I might just take it for good…" She smirked at Nick who grinned sheepishly, and shoved the money from Warrick into his pocket. Minutes later Sara showed up, and she couldn't help but laugh at Warrick and Nick who had started an arm wrestling contest.

"I got twenty bucks that says Warrick wins." Sara commented as the two struggled to keep their arms straight up.

"Oh, you're on, come on, Nicky, don't let me down." Catherine called as she patted Nick on the back. Nick and Warrick both managed to smile, and neither woman caught the wink Nick sent to Warrick. On cue they both let go, and shook hands. Nick smiled when he saw the confused looks on the two women's faces and they each held out a hand.

"I think you guys owe us some money…"

"What? Nick, you can't be serious, you didn't win!" Sara shot back.

"Exactly, we tied, no one won, which means you both lost. And that means we're up forty bucks, right Warrick?"

"I'd say so, buddy."

"I say we let Gil settle this."

"Settle what?"

"Oh hey, Grissom!" Nick grinned, waving for Catherine to tell him what had happened.

"Alright you two just be patient, now, Gil, Sara and I had a bet on which of these two were going to win a little competition. After a while they both gave up, and now they expect us to actually pay em the forty bucks."

"I'd have to say you two should know better than to make bets on these two; you'll be broke before the month is out."

"You didn't answer her question, Grissom." Sara smirked, expecting him to side with Catherine and herself.

"I'd say just pay them now, and save yourself the pain of hearing about this for the entire shift."

"How can you side with them!" Catherine quipped, feigning shock.

"Because you two will let it go, these two would never let me hear the end of it. Plus, if they got Greg on their side…"

"Ok, fine, here's your twenty, Nick."

"Ouch, Catherine, your own logic thrown right back at you..." Nick chuckled and motioned for the money with fingers, "Why don't we save everyone's time; just pay up..."

"Ok, ok, I'll give you the money _this_ time. You better put that to good use, though."

Nick smiled triumphantly, and after Sara reluctantly handed over the money to Warrick, he piped up, "Ok, since this _was_ questionable, Warrick and I'll pick up the check. Ok? You just can't get anything for over ten bucks."

After the other three had gone Warrick let out a content sigh, and gave Nick a smile before he finally broke the silence, "That was some quick thinking earlier, buddy."

"Ah, it was nothing, besides you inspired me; all those bets we broke even on, ya know?"

"Yeah, we could bring in a lot of money scamming people at the lab."

"You got any ideas in particular?"

"Not yet, but I'm sure I'll have a few by the time shift starts."

"Yeah, I bet you will, hey, uh, we're good, about last night, right?"

"Yeah, Nick, we're more than good. This was a good idea; I needed a nice break from everything."

"Yeah, well, we'd better get going, if I don't get some sleep today I'll _never_ make it through another shift." Nick chuckled softly as he tried to suppress a yawn.

"Yeah, well, sleep well, bro. I'm sure you'll be out like a light."

"Yeah, no kidding, just so long as I make it home."

"You'd better. Now get your butt home and sleep, and, uh, thanks again, for your help, Nick. You're the best friend anyone could ask for."

"Thanks, and don't sell yourself short, Warrick. Nobody expects you to be the 'cool' guy all the time. Everyone has problems, it's ok to talk about them."

"Look who's talking. 'Mr. Secretive' is telling me to share everything."

"Yeah, I must be more tired than I thought. Well, I'll see you tonight."

"Bye, Nick." Warrick smiled as he watched Nick climb into his SUV and drive off towards his house. _You'll never know just how great a person you really are. You take whatever you get dealt, and you don't give up. Maybe someday I'll find a way to prove it; after all, you deserve it just as much as anyone else… I am lucky, though. Because I've got a brother who would do anything or me, just like I'd do anything for you…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: As always, please review, and thanks for everyone who has reviewed so far (on any of my stories). I just wanted to try out a bit of humor in this story, since a lot of what I write is more action/angst. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and hope you take the time to review. I'll update as soon as I can.

* * *


	5. Evaluation Day

**

* * *

Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey, Buddy," Warrick paused briefly to wait for a hello from the man sitting at the bar, but when Nick merely picked up another bottle he decided to keep going, "Any particular reason you're downing so many of those things?"

"I said 'milk' and," he paused, trying to think of words that would explain it, but failed, "just, never mind. It isn't important."

"It's important if you're trying to lose your mind in a whole lot of beer over it, Nick."

"Fine, I just… I have, uh, I just need approval from some people."

"Grissom gave you a riddle then, didn't he?"

"I can do my job; I know I can, and I know I do a good job, but…"

"But what? Listen, bro, you don't _need_ Grissom's approval; you don't need to hear how he feels. All you need to do is worry about getting rid of the hangover you're going to have." He smiled, placing his hand on Nick's shoulder in an attempt to start herding him towards the exit.

"You don't understand, Warrick!" He answered angrily, and he quickly flung Warrick's hand free from his shoulder.

"Then make me understand."

"I can't. Not really. J-just ask yourself this- how many people have told you that they were proud of you?"

"I, uh, I honestly don't remember. My grandma used to say it all the time, and I guess I've had some other people say it over the years."

"So what, probably several dozen times?"

"I guess… if you want a number it could be anywhere from fifty to over a hundred."

"Maybe you'd understand if you'd been told twice in your _entire_ life. First time was my mom, I had just graduated from high school. I was the top of my class, but it didn't matter to anyone. I was expected to be. Hell, she didn't even say _she_ was proud. She just said that my father _was _proud of me. The second time was when my baseball coach told me after I got the winning run for our team, and that lasted for about half an hour before I screwed everything up. I would've been thrown of the team if I had had any more games or another season left."

* * *

"Nick isn't a some suspect, or criminal, Grissom."

"I know that Sara."

"Do you? Because I'm starting to wonder, myself."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that I've been here for a while now, and you have a tendency to be overcritical on some of the people that work here, especially Nick."

"I disagree, what you need to understand is that I push people to do their best. If I push on someone, say Nick, a little harder it's only because I know that person can do better."

"Fine, but you just need to remember this, people have emotions, they have feelings. You _can_ hurt those feelings by pushing someone farther than they can go."

"I just want to help him do better."

"Hey, I'm not against pushing people to do better, but sometimes you have to tell people that they're doing a good job. Otherwise, all you'll do is make them feel inadequate, or even worse make them feel like a failure. He _did_ solve that case, he led you guys to the right place to get your guy. There was no reason you couldn't have just congratulated him, you know."

* * *

"Ok, so no one has really told you that they're proud of you…" Warrick began in confusion, when a frustrated Nick cut him off again.

"Like I said, you _can't_ understand. I had six siblings; six reputations to live up to, six reputations that I would've had to beat if I wanted anyone to really notice me. Don't get me wrong, I love my family, and I know they love me, but a kid needs more than love growing up. _Nothing_ I ever did was good enough. If I got a high A in a class it was always because the class was too easy. If I got a low A it was because I wasn't good enough to do any better. I'd be grounded for coming home with a B on anything from a test to simple homework. Sure it was only one night, but at the same time I see another of my friends getting a car in high school because he managed to get all B's."

"So, your dad was tough, strict," Warrick sighed, "I guess you're right, I don't understand."

"When I was a kid I did everything I could to make him proud of me. My best was _never_ good enough for anyone. All my teachers ever did was compare me to my brother or my sisters who had done a better job."

"Nick, this isn't worth getting drunk over…"

"I know, but I'm still trying to _really_ get over having my family being disappointed with me, and then when Grissom treated me like that… it just sucked. I'm not mad at him, he basically told me I did a good job, but it still hurt."

"Man, none of us are disappointed in you, and I _doubt_ your family is really disappointed in you either… you just gotta build up some self-confidence, ya know?"

"Warrick, my Dad didn't talk to me, or even _see_ me for an _entire year_ when he found out I was going to become a cop and not a lawyer. I saw my Mom twice that year, once for my birthday, and the other time was before Christmas since I couldn't go home. My second year in was a bit better, at least he _let_ me come home for Christmas. Of course it was _another_ year before he let me actually stay at home overnight, and would talk to me. Then it happened again after I became a CSI, so I got sick of it and transferred out here. I needed the change; I needed a place where no one would treat me differently just because my last name is Stokes."

"And, what about now?"

"I talk to my mom every weekend, and I might talk to my dad about once a month. He's still mad, but my mom makes him be somewhat civil. I mean, I just can't live up to anyone's expectations. Sure, I _should_ be living my life for myself, it's just that I care about what other people think and feel. This probably sounds stupid, but I just feel like I have to put in three times as much effort than the others in order for Grissom to even notice that I work for him. He doesn't understand how _hard_ processing a scene can be… he doesn't know how much it takes me to keep from getting emotionally attached to a case. _No one_ knows how hard it is sometimes."

"Listen, Nick, obviously there is more to this than you're willing to tell me right now, and that's ok. You shouldn't even bother waiting for Grissom to get his head out of a microscope; when I first started working with him I wanted his approval too. In some ways I still do, but I learned to move on, I learned that Grissom isn't worth getting drunk over. He wouldn't know what emotions were even if they were right under his nose, at least that's the front he puts up."

"I know that, it's just that, sometimes I just have this need for his approval. I don't like it, but it's there. Some days I just feel like I've let everyone down, like I let Grissom down earlier."

"Yeah, but we all know it wasn't Greg who blew the case wide open, Nick. You may feel like you've let us down, but you've never let me down. I hope it's not too late, but I want to add a number three to your list. I am proud of you, bro. You're one of the strongest guys I know, and you obviously get more than your fair share. Plus, if you _ever_ need a boost for your ego don't hesitate to call me."

"I think that's actually number one, Warrick. I _am_ trying to move on, and I _am_ trying my best to let these things go, but it gets hard at times."

Warrick nodded, and offered Nick his hand, "Come on, Nick, why don't I drive you home. You could definitely use some sleep."

"Yeah."

Nick willingly let Warrick lead him out of the bar, and clumsily managed to buckle his seatbelt before Warrick started the drive back to his home. Warrick couldn't help but wonder about what else Nick had gone through in his life. He remembered the nightmares Nick had mentioned when he had talked to him about Kristy, and he had to force himself to refocus his attention onto the road.

After he had parked in the driveway, he helped Nick into his house as his best friend finally let the alcohol overcome him. "You're gonna really regret this tomorrow, buddy…" Warrick couldn't help but grin slightly, as he held Nick up, and helped him towards the bathroom. After getting him to drink a few glasses of water, he could see the sick look on the other's face, and gently lowered him to the floor so that he would throw up into the toilet instead of all over the floor. "It's ok, buddy, just get it out of your system. Just relax, and breathe…"

He wasn't sure how much later it was before he was gently helping Nick fall onto his bed, and as soon his head hit his pillow he was fast asleep. Warrick smiled, as he grabbed a blanket and placed it over his friend before he quietly moved the chair back to where he had set it so many nights ago. _What happened to you Nick? I just hope you'll tell me someday, when you're ready. Until then I'll be right here for you. I'll always be there for you…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: I'm not sure what is next, but I'll probably post one for 'Bully for You' and 'Ellie' before the two I have planned for the 'Stalker' episode. Thanks for your previous reviews, and I hope you take the time to stop and review this chapter. All comments are appreciated…

* * *


	6. Bully For You

**

* * *

Our of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey, Nick, heard your case was a real bummer."

"Yeah, not like you had it any better, I can't understand how a guidance counselor could actually take a student's life."

"Yeah, guess it was just your all around bad night."

"Why don't we grab some breakfast? I think we could use a break."

Ten minutes later they were situated in a small diner waiting for their food.

"Alright, Nick, I just gotta ask, what in the hell does '_dependable_' mean?" Warrick grinned widely until he looked up and saw the sudden nervous expression on Nick's face. "What's wrong, bro?"

"I, uh, it's a long story, and I haven't exactly uh, told anyone."

"Well, you can always trust me, Nick."

"Ok, well, uh, it all started after I was, you know… the whole babysitter thing. That had shot my confidence in myself to hell. I needed people's approval, and at the same time I was trying to move on and be independent. The two don't mix very well, obviously, but my entire life was becoming a mess. I'd get in fights with my parents, and then I'd get so sick…"

"That must've been rough."

"Yeah, not too mention that I felt guilty as hell for not saying anything about that damn babysitter. When I found out from some kids talking at school that she had done that to someone else I practically lost it. That kid got hurt because of me. From then on I swore I wouldn't let other people get hurt if I could do anything about it. So I started standing up for kids when they were about to get beaten up, and half the time they ended up trying to beat me up instead. It didn't happen too often, but I wouldn't back down from it. In college it wasn't a problem. I had a lot of backing, since I was in a pretty large fraternity, and people just didn't mess with us. I already knew I had to be a cop; it was supposed to be perfect. I was supposed to be able to protect people, keep _them_ 'out of harm's way' as you put it. After a few years it was just too hard seeing so many innocent people die. That's when I decided to become a CSI. I knew I couldn't save everyone, so I realized that I wanted to at least be the one to make sure that they at least got justice. And I knew that that's exactly what a CSI did."

"You've never told a soul this, have you?"

"Yeah, and be ridiculed for being weak and pathetic? I don't want pity, I don't want sympathy…" He stopped, and found it impossible to look up at his best friend.

"What about empathy?" Warrick held back the smile, when his question got Nick to look up at him, but he started feeling sick when he saw the shame inhis friend'seyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I was in college I was a runner. I gambled, made and lost lots of money. I saw a lot of bad things. After I saw a young girl get murdered brutally, for no reason, it made me furious. I felt guilty for a long time after that. Unfortunately, at the time I had been more concerned about my own skin, rather than hers or anyone else's. It took me quite a bit to really move on, and I decided to take my studying more seriously. I realized that I didn't want to wake up one day, realize I was old, and having nothing. Then another runner I knew got killed, and I knew that I didn't want to end up in some body bag."

"No one has it easy, I guess. But, I guess I can take empathy. This, uh, this doesn't change things- does it?"

"Well, not really. If it does, it only changes things by making us closer, and better, friends. You, uh, you didn't think that telling me that would put an end to our friendship, did you?"

"Huh, uh, well, I don't know. Nah, I mean, I know you wouldn't- but, well, it wouldn't be the first time people have freaked out on me when they found out something about my past. I said you're the only person I told, but, well, some people got to find out for themselves. Women would freak out when I'd wake up from a nightmare, 'friends' would practically flee when they found out some of what I've been through."

"Nick, I couldn't, and I _wouldn't_ even dream of doing something as cruel as that to you."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. And… that means the world to me Warrick. I've never been this _happy_, not really. I mean, I've got _real_ friends, friends who would do anything for me. I wasn't sure if I'd ever find anyone who wouldn't think I was some kind of freak. For a long time I even fooled myself into believing that our team was the same way. Then I met Kristy, and she showed me that not everyone is like that. It gave me some hope. Then I started to open up a bit; it hurt, but I started to gain some more confidence. I can't tell you how scared I was to even say I had been molested to Catherine. That was the first time I had ever spoken the words out loud, and I was so scared that she'd think I was just some disgusting, broken animal. Of course, she _didn't _make me feel that way, and that helped me a lot. Then, telling you helped even more. I'm still ashamed of what happened, but its more than bearable now, because I know I don't have to carry the burden alone."

"You _never _have to bear something alone, Nick. I'll be here for you, waiting to help you out."

"I'll be here for you too, man. I couldn't have asked for a better friend."

"Neither could I." Warrick answered seriously. He looked up at Nick and was surprised to see a wide smile plastered on his face.

"Ya know, I'm thinking we could get in a good game of basketball, or maybe throw a football around some before heading home."

"Here you go boys, and sorry for the slow service, one of the cooks got another job, so we're shorthanded. Not too mention the fact that you both ordered enough food for four people."

"Well, we'll be sure to leave you a good tip."

"Yeah, like I need to worry with the epitome of a Texas Gentleman eating with you? Enjoy the food boys."

Nick chuckled softly before digging into his food. Warrick followed suit, but stopped when he saw Catherine, Grissom, and Sara head inside. "Hey, guys, over here!"

Nick looked up and waved them over. In a matter of minutes they were all seated, and waiting for the waitress to return to get the newcomers' orders. It wasn't long before they were all laughing and smiling easily at each other's jokes, and were all slowly consuming the massive amounts of food on the table.

An hour later they were slowly making their way out of the diner when Nick pulled Warrick back. "You owe me a game."

"Oh, what? You think I'd just let you off the hook? No way I'd let you off that easily."

"Yeah, well, I _am_ the one who had to remind _you_. Meet me at the courts by my house in thirty minutes, alright?"

"Sure thing man."

"And Warrick?"

"Yeah Bro?"

"Thanks again. You've always been a great friend."

"Thanks, and don't sell yourself short, Nick. You're a great friend, and don't ever be afraid to tell me something, ok?"

"I won't. But you can't either then, got it?"

"Yeah man, I got it. See you soon."

"I'm counting on it."

* * *

To Be Continued…

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Notes: Sorry this took a long time for me to update this story. I've kinda been caught up with some other stories, because I want to finish them and start getting them posted, and I just had prom last weekend (4/22) and I am going to another one in a nearby town next weekend (5/6). Hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'' not sure when the next one will be ready to post. I look forward to any comments or reviews!

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	7. Ellie

**

* * *

Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey, Griss. How'd it go?"

"The seminar was fine. Every one of my roaches got stage fright. They came in fourth, third, second and dead last. How about you? How'd you do?"

"Well, the job is fine. It's the other stuff -- the personalities."

"I love mankind, it's people I can't stand."

"Is that Einstein?"

"Linus."

"Charlie Brown. Figures. Is that why you put me in charge?"

"You think I like dealing with people? Remember when you asked me what I was in high school?"

"Yeah, you said "A Ghost"."

"When I leave CSI, there won't be any cake in the break room. I'll just be gone. So I wanted to see if you could step in… Tell me ... all of it, from the top."

"From the top? I don't know where to start. It was wild."

"Couldn't have been that bad."

"Yeah well, Sara was prettyirritated. I doubt there was a single minute that went by when she didn't make it clear it should've been her, or at _least_ Nick in charge."

"I bet. Obviously you managed though, how was Nick?"

"He was… Nick. Man, Griss, you know he deserves some of the chances you've given everyone else. And, it _should've_ been him in charge. If he hadn't helped me, kept me calm, given me support- I never would've gotten through the shift without losing it."

"You have the confidence you need to lead a team. Nick needs approval, and he has to get past that before he'll be ready to handle acting as a supervisor."

"Listen, don't judge Nick just because he needs approval. He has plenty of reasons, and I can tell you he's working harder than you could ever imagine trying to get past that need. He went through a lot as a kid, and I have to say I'm impressed he's made it through as much as he has already. The first woman who even _partially_ understood him, which made him love her, is dead, and he was almost shot. He _was_ dependable in high school, but it wasn't exactly too good for his health, or his well being."

"Warrick, even if he's had a hard past it doesn't mean he's ready for something like this."

"That's the thing though, Grissom. You won't give him the chance to prove himself. You won't give him solos, you won't put him in charge. It isn't helping him build _confidence_; it's killing what confidence he's managed to build up over the years. We're practically brothers, and I know how much some of what you do hurts him. I've been trying to build his confidence, telling him that you don't think he's a failure, trying to help him beat the sense that he's worthless because of a single event that happened when he was just a little kid. He can _emphasize_ with victims, not just sympathize, because he's _been_ there. Been through hell, and made it through, and when he tries to take an extra step, and helps the victims and their family… well, it makes him that much better."

"We both know how dangerous that can be, Warrick."

"Yeah, but so does he. He _knows_ that he can get hurt, and he has been hurt. It doesn't change him, though. Think of it as a lifeline for him. You know only too well how fast a CSI can burn out; helping victims or their families lets him know that even through all the terrible things we see that life can go on. That he isn't only the last voice for the victim, but that he can _help_ life go on for others. You need to give him a chance, Griss. If you don't he'll never be able to prove that he's ready. Riddles and little tests aren't enough to judge him by."

"I think you underestimate how effective a simple riddle can be at showing a person's character."

"Yeah, well, _I_, think that Nick doing his best to support me tonight was a _better_ source for judging his character. He didn't let me break down; he didn't let me give in and go crawling back to you for help. Instead of letting me fail, he made sure I did my best, even when my coming to you for help would've benefited him." Warrick chuckled quietly before continuing, "He let me lean on him, he let me release some stress without screwing up the case. That, Griss, is what you should be judging him on; we wouldn't be _half_ the team we are if we didn't have him to help us out. Probably _me_ more so than the others. I know I wouldn't be the CSI, or man,I am today if itwasn't for him."

"I'll think about it, Warrick, but my position still stands right now. I will try to give him some more chances though."

"You sure as hell ought to. He's been through hells that we can hardly _imagine_; trust me, he puts in four times as much effort as the rest of us." Warrick smiled halfheartedly before getting up and heading out of the room. He had been somewhat surprised by Grissom's attitude on the subject, but he also knew that he hadn't been very tactful himself. He also realized that he was really beginning to understand why some of Grissom's actions hurt Nick so much more than they would hurt anyone else in the lab, and that thought didn't settle well as he headed for the locker room as quickly as he could.

Warrick was shocked when Nick greeted him with a wide grin as he left the locker room.

"Nick… what are you still doing here?"

"Come on man, you don't think I'd let you off tonight without having a little celebration, do ya? No way, we're going out to get some drinks to celebrate your newest success."

"Wow, this must be really hard for you, isn't it?"

"Ok, ok, so it _is_ hard for me, but that doesn't matter right now. You did a good job tonight, and I'm gonna make sure you can enjoy that."

"I never would have made it through that shift without your help, Bro. You're the one who deserves the drink."

"Nah, tonight isn't about me, now come on, we're gonna go find a nice quiet bar, where we can have some drinks in peace, got it? And I'm paying."

"Alright, alright, I give in."

"Good, and next time you ought to remember not to try butting heads with a Texan. I've got a will of steel man."

"Yeah, and a heart of gold. Haven't I already told you not to sell yourself short?"

"You know I'm trying." Nick answered, his voice lowered, becoming dead serious as he looked at his friend. "Now, uh, why don't we get going?"

"Yeah, yeah, alright I'm coming, but we can both pay for our own drinks, got it?" Warrick answered, when he caught the tone in Nick's voice to leave it be for now.

"Ok, fine, I'll compromise." Nick chuckled as they made their way outside, completely unaware that their supervisor had been watching them idly for a nearby doorway wondering just how much the young CSI had been through.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Next chapter should be Stalker, and I'm overcoming a bit of writers block, so these chapters are coming a little more easily once more. Hopefully that means I'll update more… I look forward to any reviews and comments, and I hope you're enjoying these chapters.

* * *


	8. Stalker Part 1

**

* * *

Out of Harm's Way

* * *

"Damn it, Sara, how could I let him go into that house by himself?"**

"It wasn't your fault, Warrick."

"Yeah, but damn, I could've got the guy. I know Grissom said that Nick needed me, but I just let him get away…"

"Hey, come on, Warrick, you gotta calm down. There was nothing you could've done."

"I should've been in there. It shouldn't have happened."

"You couldn't have stopped Nick from going out that window, and you know it."

"I let him down, Sara. I swore that I would always have his back, and I didn't. The guy was right there, I shouldn't have let him get away."

"Hey, you did what you _should_ have done. Nick could've _died_ from that fall, just a slight turn of his neck could've ended everything. You didn't know if he was ok or not, and you did the right thing checking on him. We'll catch Crane later; at least now Nick will still be _alive_ to see that happen."

"Yeah… but damn. I can't help it Sara, I feel so useless."

"It's going to be ok, Warrick. Nick is gonna get better; sure he'll be sore for a while, but he'll be ok. We both know that."

"Yeah, he's always gotta be Mr. Toughguy-"

"Mr. Brown, Miss Sidle? Mr. Stokes is waking up, you can come and see him now, but as a warning he'll probably be pretty out of it, tired and all that…" a nurse announced as she exited the room they were waiting outside of. "He seems to be doing very well, and the Doctor said he'll probably be ok to be released soon, possibly even tonight, since we can't do much more for him. All he really needs is plenty of rest."

"Alright, you ready to go see him, Warrick?"

"Yeah let's go." Warrick smiled weakly as he stood and followed Sara into the dimly lit hospital room. He felt a lump suddenly form in his throat at seeing his best friend. The normally broad shoulders were slumped from exhaustion, and he was biting his lip hard. Just seeing him in pain was almost too much for Warrick as he felt his body start to feel numb.

"Hey, Nick. How are you feeling?" Sara spoke softly, trying to gently break the uncomfortable silence that had engulfed the room.

"Like crap. How about you?" Nick answered slowly, not bothering to hide the sarcasm and irritation in his voice.

"Well, I'm a lot better now that you're awake. And at least we have good news; you won't be in here for too long. Nurse said you might even be out of here tonight."

"Thank God for that. I hate hospitals."

"We all do."

"Yeah, uh, Sara… would you mind- uh, I just, uh, wanted to talk to Warrick alone…"

"Sure thing, you two be good; no roughhousing, or I'll make sure you both pay for it big-time, got it?" Sara smirked warmly and waited until they both nodded before she moved back into the hallway, gently shutting the door behind her.

"Stop it, Warrick."

"Stop what?"

"This- stop it. Stop moping, stop feeling so damn guilty."

"Nick, I swore that I'd keep you out of harm's way, and I failed- miserably."

"Listen, bad things happen; they've happened to me for my whole life. This wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have been in there alone anyway, and I should've been more prepared. I know it wasn't my fault either. It was Crane's fault, man. Not ours."

"I should've went in; grabbed him…"

"Nah, you did the right thing…"

"Uh, sorry guys, but the doctor says you're good to go, they're just taking care of some paperwork first."

"Nah, it's ok, Sara."

"So, Mr. Crime Stopper, you ready to go home?"

Warrick didn't miss how Nick flinched slightly at his new nickname, and in a desperate attempt to keep out of another awkward silence he handed Nick his clothes, and helped him up from the bed so he could go change. By the time he reemerged the doctor had returned with a wheelchair and a folder. Nick signed the papers as quickly as he could in his still groggy state. It wasn't long before Sara was pushing Nick down the hallway beside Warrick and the doctor.

"Now, these painkillers are the real deal, okay? Don't overdo it. Get plenty of rest. No work for at least a week."

"Will do, thank you, doctor." Sara answered when she realized Nick wasn't going to answer. That was all it took for the doctor to nod and continue down the hallway, leaving them alone.

"The gloves, you find them?" Nick finally asked, his voice just as weak as it had been when Warrick had spoken to him briefly before.

"Catherine thinks he might have got away with them. But, uh, Grissom did find some wacky video collection." Warrick answered.

"Of what?"

"Now, did you not just hear the doctor? You're supposed to rest. We're on it, okay?" Sara interjected, hoping to stop the conversation from progressing any further.

"Yeah, relax, Ironside." Warrick added playfully, but Nick hardly seemed to respond. They were silent as Sara pushed him out into the cool night air, and Warrick helped him into the front seat. No one spoke as he buckled his seatbelt and Sara jumped in the backseat. The ride to his house was just as uncomfortable as before, no one was quite sure of what to say, and Nick was too out of it to put in the effort to starting a conversation.

Once they had him inside, and Sara had broken the silence by explaining the instructions as to which pills to take and when. After another few comments the three fell silent once more, and each stole nervous glances at each other, pondering what to do next.

It was Nick who finally broke the silence, "Uh, thanks guys. I guess I'll see you sometime soon. Thanks for everything."

"Ya know, we could stay, Nick."

"No man, you guys ought to be getting back to work. I'll be fine here on my own."

"We'll stop by after shift, ok, Nick?" Sara broke in, hoping to reach some form of a compromise.

Minutes later Warrick couldn't help but feel nervous as they walked through the halls of the lab. This whole case had been going downhill for Nick, and he had never seen Nick act so paranoid when it had come down to the picture of his prom date, and the article about him in the department newsletter had only served to irritate him further. He followed Sara as they made they way toward the A/V Lab to see what the rest of the team had found. _We're going to catch this guy, Nick, I promise.

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Part two of this episode will be posted soon, so you won't have a long wait. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, as well as the others, and I really appreciate everyone who takes the time to send me their reviews and comments.

* * *


	9. Stalker Part 2

**

* * *

Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

Nick wasn't sure how long he stood in the empty room staring vapidly at the room where Nigel Crane had been questioned. The words he had said were already haunting him as he kept playing them over and over in his head. He kept seeing Morris Pearson lying on his living room rug that had a huge 'T' on it; a 'T' that just happened to be green.

He felt sick as his mind went back to what he had learned Crane had done. His clothes suddenly felt extremely tight and he wanted little more than to change when he realized that his stalker could've worn the clothes he was currently wearing. He felt the bile start to rise at the thought of someone watching him as he tried to live his life. Yet, even as he felt his stomach churn, he couldn't make himself move.

* * *

"Greg, we need to talk." Sara nearly screamed over the blaring music.

"Is Nick ok?"

"He'll be fine."

"Good, so, uh, what do you need?"

"I need all the department newsletters that you have stashed in here."

"W-why?"

"Because, the last thing Nick needs right now is a damn reminder that his stalker was watching everything he did."

Her words instantly made Greg feel sick to his stomach as he realized that it had obviously been Nigel Crane who had written the article. His hands shook slightly as he pulled the stack of papers from their hiding spot, and he handed them weakly over to Sara. "I- I can't believe I didn't realize… God, I feel terrible. If I had known- I never would have-"

"I know Greg. If I had known I wouldn't have given him a hard time either. Well, I'm gonna head back down to the A/V Lab and see what else was on those tapes with the others. Uh, and it would be nice if you could make sure the other techs won't bring up anything, you know, with the article, or the stuff in it…"

"Sure thing, Sara. I'll make sure it all stops before he next comes on in to the lab."

* * *

They watched as the camera turn from Crane's face down towards the floorboards of the attic, and finally down into a peephole where they could see Nick sleeping. Catherine shook her head in disgust as Nigel Crane started whispering quietly about Nick. Grissom stared morosely at the screen, sickened by the fact that he had called the man's lifestyle fascinating when it was little more than nauseating. Sara silently took a seat by the others when they noticed Nick start to toss and turn. No one moved when they heard Nick's shaky voice cry out in his sleep. When the camera turned up towards Crane's face once more he was smiling. Warrick couldn't help but sneer, and his jaw dropped when the crazed man started talking once more in a quiet whisper.

"_It's nice to see his nightmares have been calmer now that I'm up here, pretty much, well, all the time, now. See, cause I can help, you know? He needs me, and I- I like that- friends should need each other…"_

They watched as the camera shifted back down towards Nick who was still in the throes of some nightmare. After another few minutes the tape ended abruptly. Archie bit his lip and cautiously inserted another tape, knowing full well that he didn't want to learn anymore about Nick from the tapes.

Nick wasn't sure what time it was when he had finally gotten himself to leave the observation room. His feet shuffled slowly along the floor as he made his way out of the building and out into the warm, dry air. He wasn't sure where he was going as he aimlessly started to walk down the sidewalk. He could feel the emotions swelling up inside him, but he wasn't sure how he was supposed to deal with them as he kept shuffling slowly past several more buildings.

"I don't think we should be watching anymore of these tapes. We've all seen enough, and Nick doesn't need his entire life revealed to us because some freak was living in his attic." Catherine spoke up after the camera had switched to a view over Nick's bathroom. She stood, and immediately pressed the stop button before carefully extracting the tape.

"Alright, I'll close up the case." Grissom answered softly, still seeing Nick as he went about his daily life, completely unaware that someone had been watching him, in his mind.

"Listen, guys, I need to get out of here. Ya know, get some air… go for a drive."

"Go ahead, I think we should all get out of here for the day." Grissom muttered in a daze as he continued to stare at the black screen.

* * *

Warrick didn't wait for anyone else to respond before he pushed his way out of the lab, and found his way to his car. He drove for several minutes when he realized he didn't even know where he was going. His eyes wearily watched the countless people walking along the row of shops. It wasn't until he glanced into one alley when he nearly slammed on his breaks. After a few minutes he found a place to park, and he was running as fast as he could towards the narrow alley. He froze when he turned the corner and saw Nick sitting against the wall, with his knees hugged close to his chest.

"Nick-" Warrick stopped when Nick slowly looked up. He was on the brink of crying, and the lost look in his eyes nearly struck Warrick as hard as any fist could. "W-what are you doing out here all by yourself?"

Nick looked back down at his knees before answering so quietly that Warrick could hardly hear him. "I- I don't have anywhere to go."

"How long have you been here?"

"I don't know. Maybe a few hours, I don't remember. I don't even know how long I was in th-that room for."

"God, Nick, I'm so sorry. We never should have left you there alone. How you holding up?"

"I- don't know. I'm just so lost; I feel so mad, and I'm scared, and frustrated… then I'm happy that you caught him, but I'm sad too, and I just don't know how to deal with all this. It's just too much; I can't handle it. I feel so- lost."

"Hey, it's gonna be ok, man, it's gonna be ok." Warrick whispered in what he hoped was a reassuring voice as he sat down carefully next to Nick and wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so pathetic. I just keep seeing him, he could've killed me… turned me into whipped cream."

"Hey! No, Nick. You are a _lot_ of things, but pathetic is _not_ one of them! You got it?"

"That's _all_ I am, Warrick. I mean- just look at everyone else in the lab; they've all got problems, but they can _all_ get past it. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to get over things that happened decades ago… Maybe they were all right… maybe I am just some pointless freak of nature." Warrick tightened his grip on Nick's shoulder when he saw the tears falling from his friend's eyes.

"No you're not, Nick. You never were, and while you're right about us all having problems you're wrong about how many people have gotten over those problems. Catherine still hasn't gotten over a lot that's going on with Lindsay; Sara obviously has some history of problems that she hasn't gotten over. We've both seen her get emotionally involved. Even Grissom has had problems, Nick, and while he may have gotten over them what do you think the cost of that was? You're a good man Nick, and an even better friend. You have every right to feel how you want to feel. You are _not_ pathetic, and you're _not_ a 'freak of nature.' If you were that would make everyone else something worse."

"But, why can't I just get past it? I just want it to go away; I don't want to be afraid, I don't want to be ashamed, but I can't stop. I just want it to go away." Nick whispered, his voice pleading. "I just- can't. Just like I can't get over needing approval, just like I can't…"

"Listen, you just need time. You _can_ get past it; just let me help you." Warrick answered, tears filling his eyes as he listened to the defeated tone in his best friend's voice was almost too much for him to bear.

"You already have your own problems-"

"Yeah, but it doesn't make me any less willing to help you out, Nick. We're bothers, man, we're supposed to be able to help each other, and since I couldn't keep you out of harm's way, at least let me help you now. What do you say; you wanna go find a nice hotel- with adjoining rooms, where we can stay for a week, have some fun, order some food, play some games? Then we can get you some clothes, and whatever else you need."

"Okay. Th-thanks Warrick. Uh, I'm gonna need my, uh, medicine…"

"Alright, I'll call Catherine, now let's get out of here." Warrick smiled as warmly as he could as he pulled Nick up to his feet, and led him to his car. Two hours later they were in situated in their rooms with the adjoining doors in the middle wide open. As soon as he saw Nick fall asleep in the other room he pulled out his cell phone.

"Willows."

"Hey Catherine."

"Warrick, hey! Where are you?"

"I'm with Nick. I found him in a alley. He wasn't doing too good; I've never seen him look so lost. How could we have just left him there?"

"I don't know. We were so preoccupied with making sure Nigel Crane never got out of prison that we just didn't think about how Nick felt about everything. How's he doing?"

"Well, he's asleep right now. We're staying in a hotel, so it'd be great if you could tell Grissom that I'm taking a week off. Oh, and Nick doesn't have his medications…"

"Don't worry about it, I'll get everything taken care of. Where are you guys staying?"

Warrick quietly gave her their room numbers and after a short goodbye he closed his phone, and went to check on Nick. He bit his lip when he saw the tears falling from his friend's eyes, and as he moved closer he could he the quiet, horrified murmurs caused by the man's nightmares.

"Come on, buddy, wake up. It's a nightmare. It's just a dream, it's not real; you're okay, you're _safe_." It was a few moments before Nick opened his eyes, letting out a loud sob before sitting up and leaning into Warrick, tears falling even more quickly.

Warrick sat there, whispering what he desperately hoped were comforting. Once Nick had managed to calm himself down, and had let go of his death grip on his friend Warrick offered a soft smile. "You look hungry, why don't I call to order some food? Catherine is gonna stop by soon with your medications, and she might hang around a bit."

"When do you have to go back in?"

"Next week; same time as you. I've got plenty of vacation time, and I can't think of a way I'd rather spend it. I've got some movies in the other room; you interested?"

"H-how do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"How do you know what to do to make me feel better?" Nick couldn't help but grin slightly as he waited for Warrick's response. Warrick watched as his best friend started to wipe the tears that were still falling

"I don't know, but I hope it lasts." After a few minutes of silence Warrick finally spoke again, "I think it's because I know how important you are. That I really want you to be happy; that I know you deserve so much better than what you get dealt."

"Thanks Warrick."

"It's nothing man, this is what friends are for."

"No. I mean, _thanks_. You- I actually feel like I'm a _somebody_. I feel like I matter, and, well, I haven't felt like that very often."

"Then I haven't done enough. You ought to feel like that all the time, because you _do_ matter."

"I'll try. I promise." He smiled weakly, and gave Warrick a quick hug, before they heard the soft knocking on the door.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you take the time to send me some comments. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, and I hope to have the next chapter done and posted soon.

* * *


	10. The Accused Is Entitled

**

* * *

Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"You wanna get something to drink?"

"I dunno, I think I might just go home and crash."

"Don't beat yourself up over this, Nick. We got him, that's all that matters now."

"Nah, _Grissom_ got him."

"Well, if it's any consolation, we _all_ screwed up. We're not perfect, Nick."

"Yeah, except no one asks you to be perfect."

"Nick-"

"I know, I know, Warrick; I'm being too hard on myself. But, he does. Who could blame him? I mean, I don't think I can even remember the last time I forgot to use the-"

"Ya gotta let it go. We've all made mistakes."

"Yeah, except you've already got respect. People understand you; they can understand why you're here, why you're working crime scenes with the second best lab in the country. I- I've never really felt like I've belonged. Whether it's here, back home, even in college. And, well, and you- you've made me feel more like I belong here, but I just don't know if it's enough."

"Alright, Nick, I'm gonna tell you again, like so many times before, and I want this to _stick_ this time. You're a great CSI. Grissom may be too dense to see it now, but he _will_ see it eventually. The rest of us already do. I mean you're practically Greg's idol."

"Yeah right."

"Hey, it's true. He looks up too you, he wants to be a great CSI. Like _you_, Nick. His words."

"Really?"

Yeah. I know you want respect, Nick, but just take a look around at the people you work with. I respect you. Catherine and Sara respect you, and I _know_ that the victim's and their families respect _and_ appreciate everything you do for not only the case, but for them as well. Just look around Nick. When you help those people on the worst days of their lives… they respect and revere you for that, and the people who _do_ respect you are the people that _really_ matter."

"Why can't I get over this, Warrick? Why can't I even be _slightly_ normal?"

"I don't know, Nick, but you'll beat this, I know you will."

"I just don't know what to do."

"Listen, Nick. You've obviously got some serious problems here. Maybe you could talk to a professional… someone who _would_ know how you could beat this."

"I-I've tried that. Ended up having a panic attack. I kept hyperventilating when I had to see that shrink because of… well, _him._ I can't make myself tell them. When I see them, sitting there, just waiting for me to start talking… all I see is a stranger who _really_ wants to know all about me. And after _he_ watched me… eating, _sleeping_, and God knows doing what else… I can't even let strangers into my house. I fix everything that needs repairs myself. Turns out I'm a pretty good plumber."

"Alright. You, uh, you know that I'll always be here for you, right? That you can tell me _anything_? I- I just wanted to make sure you had thought about it."

"It's ok, I'm glad you're looking out for me. I _am_ getting better, though. I mean I have been more confident, I've been feeling better about myself- enjoying life more, and all that."

"Nick? Grissom is looking for you, I told him I'd find you, and tell you that he's waiting to talk to you in his office." Sara smiled halfheartedly, knowing that Nick and Warrick had been having a serious conversation. "Well, I'm outta here. You two have a good day, and get some sleep."

"Yeah, look who's talkin." Warrick offered lightly as she headed back out of the locker room.

"Well, I guess I get to go get chewed out."

"What makes you think he's mad at _you_, Nick?"

"Why else would he want to talk to me in his office? No way he'd ask me to take up another case after working into a triple shift. Well, I guess I'll see ya soon."

Warrick watched as Nick slammed his locker shut, biting his lip. He didn't know what to say when he took in his friend's defeated posture. Normally broad, straight shoulders were now slumped, and he sighed before making his way out of the room. "Yeah. Alright." Was all he could say before the door swung shut, leaving him alone.

* * *

"Ah, Nick. I was starting to wonder if Sara had found you."

"She did."

"Alright, I wanted to talk about-"

"Listen, Griss- for what it's worth… I'm sorry. I know I let you down. I let my anger get the better of me, I forgot the case identifiers… I kept screwing up."

"Sit down, Nick."

"Listen, if you're going to lecture me, just do it. I know I screwed up."

"We _all_ screwed up on this one Nick. I don't have any reason to lecture you. You're a good CSI. What I wanted to talk to you about is why _you_ still feel guilty about what happened."

"It doesn't matter."

"I disagree. A lot has happened over the years, Nick, and I know a lot has happened to you. I was hoping you'd tell me about it."

"What do you want to hear, Grissom? Do you _really_ want to know why I'm so screwed up, huh? _Fine_, I was molested when I was nine years old. Never told anyone, except Catherine and Warrick. I lived my entire life with the guilt; in fact, it got so bad that I let people beat _me_ up instead of someone else when I was in high school. Is that what you want to hear? You want to hear about how worthless I've felt for so long?"

Grissom suddenly found himself speechless, both by the outburst and the sudden rush of information he had just received. His mouth hung open in shock, and he couldn't help but stare at the younger man that was clearly fighting back tears. After several moments of awkward silence Nick rose from his seat.

"I understand, Grissom. You're the only one here who isn't blind. You know how worthless I am. I guess I ought to thank you for even putting up with me for this _long_. At least now you know why." His voice was shaky, and he all but ran from the office, quickly shutting the door behind him and walking as fast as he could to get out of the building.

* * *

Warrick watched from the door of the locker room as Nick raced by, looking sick to his stomach. He barely caught a glimpse of his face, and his heart dropped when he saw the all too familiar look of disgust and despair that he always had when he really felt as if he was little more than dirt. That was all it took for Warrick's blood to boil, and he immediately headed for Grissom's office.

He hadn't even moved when the door slammed open and Warrick stormed in, slamming it shut behind him. "What in the hell happened, Grissom?" They could both hear the fury in his voice, and his stomach started to churn as Nick's words continued to sink in.

"I-I don't know. He hardly gave me the chance to speak. He just started apologizing for screwing up, and then when I told him that I wanted to know why it was affecting him so much he just- let it all out."

"Damn it, Griss. Do you have any _clue_ how hard it was to get him to open up to me? You wanna know why? Because he was _scared_, scared that if I knew what he'd been through that I wouldn't even want to look at him. Because he's gone through so much alone that he feels like a 'freak of nature' or just flat out worthless. Then you go and you make things _worse_ for him! He was getting better, for God's sake! Did you at least tell him it wasn't true? You didn't. If you had he wouldn't have been fleeing from your office as fast as he could!"

"I didn't know what to do, Warrick. He completely blindsided me. Told me that everyone was blind, that I was the only one on the team he hadn't fooled into thinking he wasn't worthless. I just- I had no idea."

"No, you didn't, even though you _should_ have. How hard would it be to just let him know you appreciate him?"

"I- I'll try."

"That's not good enough. Nick deserves more. So _do_ it. Now, I gotta go. I know someone who could really use a friend right now."

Grissom wasn't sure how to respond as Warrick left his office just as quickly as he had entered. His brows furrowed in frustration, wishing that he could do something to actually help Nick than to push him further back into the shell he had been trying to break free of.

* * *

Nick jumped with a muffled shout when he heard the sudden knock on his car window. He sighed partially out of relief, and partially from frustration when he saw Warrick waiting for him to unlock the passenger side door so he could get in. Letting out another sigh Nick pushed the switch to unlock the doors while using his other hand to wipe away as much evidence of his tears as he could.

"Hey, Nick."

"Hey."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Not in particularly."

"Okay. When I was twenty-one, in my third year of college, I already knew I wanted to be a CSI. I had a professor keep me after class one day. He told me to drop the class; said I'd never make it as a CSI. That I was nothing more than a pathetic gambler. This was a guy that I had respected for three years, and once I was in my class, he shattered everything I had ever hoped to get from him. I wanted his respect so _badly_ that I would've done anything to get it. That whole year, I never got so much as a peep out of him. I was the best student in that class, and I had the grades to prove it. Every single day he'd give out someone else a compliment. It made me furious at times. Then, once I had graduated he came up to me, out of the blue, and he told me that he was proud of me. He told me that while I wasn't his best student, he knew I would be more than a fine CSI."

"That's great, Warrick, but it's not really the same."

"Maybe not, but then again, it may be more similar to your own situation than you realize."

"Yeah, how so?"

"Because, even though I was the best, that one professor never treated me fairly, he never gave me what I wanted. It wasn't until I had graduated, when he got to see that I could take all his challenges, that he told me how much he respected me."

"So, what exactly are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that that professor always respected me. Grissom _does_ respect you, Nick. When he pushes you harder than the rest of us, when he asks you to go the extra mile- you've _never_ let him down. And you know something Nick? Even if he _never_ tells you, I can tell you for a fact that he wishes he could be more like you."

"Yeah right, so that he could actually feel anything?"

"Yeah. Nick, you're a great CSI. Grissom will let you know when he's ready too. If it makes you feel any better he's never told me that he was proud of me, I don't think he's ever told Catherine either. I'm pretty sure he still has emotions and feelings, but he's never known how to let them out. And I would have to say he's jealous that you can show your emotions. You gotta let this go."

"You think I don't want that? I do. I just don't know how."

"Well, you can start by coming out with me and getting some drinks, then catching a game. Or we could hit the batting cages, play some basketball… whatever."

"You're on." Nick's tone immediately lightened at the prospect of spending some time out of work with Warrick.

"And, Nick- just remember, you've got the respect of the people that really matter. You're the one who _really_ helps the people we see everyday."

"Yeah, you're right. So, uh, how bout those drinks?"

"As long as you can get me back here for my car."

"No problem. It's the least I could do."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Next chapter is 'Let The Seller Beware' and hopefully it won't be too long until it's posted. Thanks to those that have sent in reviews, and I look forward to any comments on this chapter, and even the other chapters.

* * *


	11. Let The Seller Beware

**

* * *

Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"You, uh, wanted to see me?"

"Yeah, go ahead and sit down, Nick." He waited patiently until Nick complied, and he could see the younger man was getting nervous. "Listen, Nick, you did a good job tonight. You always do…"

"Listen, Griss, I- uh, I gotta ask. What happened to me, as a kid- that isn't affecting your decisions about me, or my assignments- is it?"

"Nick, I wouldn't hold that against you. If anything it helps me understand where you're coming from a bit more clearly. Just- keep up the good work."

"And what about you calling in Sara for that solo?"

"She was right for the case. Besides you were already on our case."

"Uh-huh, in other words I'm _still_ not ready."

"Nick- we've gone over this before…"

"And usually at this point I'd ask a question that you'd be all too familiar with, but I don't have too. I already know the answer. Now, if you don't mind I'd like to get home." Nick smiled and shook his head before he decided to add one more comment, "It doesn't matter anymore- that question. I don't need it."

Grissom was slightly taken aback by the comment. He knew that Nick had been talking about his respect, but he had to say he was impressed with the man's more upbeat, independent attitude.

* * *

"So, what's got you in such a good mood?"

"I did it, Warrick. I told him I didn't care if he respected me, _and_ I think I really meant it."

"Good. You should wear that smile more often, its fairly contagious." Warrick grinned back at Nick who had started gathering his stuff from his locker.

"Hey, Warrick, why did _you_ become a CSI?"

"I don't know."

"Oh come on, man. We both know Catherine likes the thrill of solving a 'puzzle', I'm in it for the victims. What made you choose this?"

"I'm not sure, maybe it was all the things I saw as a runner, maybe it was because of how my mom died. This is just where life took me."

"You know, you've never talked about your parents before."

"I don't like to. Brings up a lot of old scars."

"Some wounds are too deep to heal. I still have to check my attic everytime I go home, and again before I go to sleep. Maybe someday I'll feel safe enough to stop, but no matter how hard I try to fight it I just have to do it. Once I see that my attic is empty, well, I sleep better."

"Man, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were still-"

"Trying to get over it? I don't think I'll ever get over it Warrick. One thing I've started to realize is that nothing really goes away. Time doesn't heal anything, Warrick. But, friends are a great place to start the process that can heal. And the last time I checked we were still best friends."

"I- I never knew my dad. And, well, my mom died when I was seven. She got hit by a drunk driver. I only remember seeing her lying on that bed, and my grandmother just stood there holding my shoulders."

"I'm sorry man. Even though my parents are judgmental as hell… we still love each other. We're still fairly close. I- I don't know how I ever would've made it without them."

"It wasn't easy, but I did what I had to do."

"You always do. But, like you always say, this is why we have friends. We just gotta take whatever life dishes out. Even if it really sucks."

"Yeah, I just wish it'd be a bit easier sometimes."

"Well, _someone_ has taught me something over these past few years. He made me realize that I have to _live_ life. In fact, I think he made me into a _real_ optimist. I don't have to pretend to be happy anymore."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Now, I say we go out for some drinks, check out the batting cages… or there's always a good old game of basketball."

"Sounds good. I'll meet you at the park a few blocks from your place in an hour."

"Sure thing. I'll see you then." Nick smiled as he stood to leave, playfully hitting Warrick in the arm before leaving the room.

* * *

"Hey, Nick, you did a good job tonight."

"Yeah, you too, Catherine."

"Well, get some rest, and don't hurt Warrick's ego _too_ much."

"I promise I'll try to hold back a bit."

"Yeah, and pigs fly."

"Am I _really_ that competitive?"

"Nah, only with Warrick. Have fun, and don't get too rough. Tomorrow night could be another _long_ shift."

"You know something I don't?"

"I know plenty that you don't, but that's besides the point."

"Yeah, right. Well, I gotta get going. See you tonight."

"Yeah, have fun."

"Thanks, and, uh, Catherine?"

"Yeah, Nick?"

"Thanks, you're a great friend, and I really appreciate everything you've done for me."

"We're friends, Nick." Catherine smiled warmly, briefly looking down before her eyes took in the serious look in his own eyes. "And I'll be here for you whenever you need a friend, and when Warrick is too sour from losing another game to you. You're a good friend too, you know."

Nick chuckled lightly before he answered, "Yeah. Thanks again, and have a good time doing- whatever- with Lindsay."

"I plan on it. Now get out of here, or you'll be late."

"Yeah _right_, Warrick isn't even out of the locker room yet."

"True, but then again, the sooner you get home and ready, the longer you have to wait for him, and the more you can poke fun at him."

"Yeah I didn't think of it that way. Guess I'll get going, I owe you anything for the tip?"

"Nah, I'll just give Warrick something he can use to poke fun at you."

"Ouch. Well have fun." Nick waved and finally headed down the hallway making his way for the lobby.

* * *

"Hey, Catherine, what are you doing out here?"

"Waiting for you, Warrick. You know Nick's already on his way home by now, and he's gonna be giving you all sorts of crap if you're late."

"Oh really, and let me guess, it was all your idea."

"Hey, I've got to get some kicks out of you guys somehow."

"Yeah, I bet you do." Warrick returned her smile as he started to slowly make his way down the hall.

"I do. Oh, and Warrick, whatever you're doing- keep it up. It's good to see Nick in a good mood and knowing that it's not being forced."

"I'll do my best." Warrick answered; the playfulness in his tone vanishing.

"I know. You're a good guy, Warrick. Well- I guess I better let you get going, so you're not late. Don't want to make Nick wait _too_ long."

"Nope. I'll see you next shift."

Catherine smiled again as she watched Warrick head out into the lobby, before heading into the locker room. Minutes later she was on her way home, in a better mood than she had been for a long time.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Sorry this took so long to post, but my internet hasn't been working recently, so this was the first chance I got to post again. I look forward to reading any reviews.

* * *


	12. A Little Murder

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"I thought I might find you out here."

"I come here whenever I feel like people are judging me. I swear I can still- feel her." Nick whispered solemnly.

"Yeah, I get that feeling at times too."

"You know, it's almost ironic. The people who don't want to be judged are so quick to judge others. Maybe it's human nature… I've done it. I try to understand people, Warrick, but when this one guy asked me if I was doing my best- it hurt."

"He judged you without getting to know who you really are, of course that would hurt."

"At the same time though, I just- I'm thankful that my own problems aren't physically visible. I feel so _guilty_ for feeling that way."

"You're a good guy, Nick. And you're a great friend. It's only natural to feel that way. To be thankful that you didn't have to go through even more than you already have."

"She didn't judge me Warrick. She was the first. She held me close, told me everything was ok, that none of it was my fault."

"She sounds like a really special person. Wish I could've met her, and thanked her."

"I don't even know how she felt about me. H-he said that she had lied when she told me she was going to go back to college. Said that she was just using me to stay out of trouble."

"What does your heart say?"

"I- I believe her. Gotta have _some_ hope, right?"

"Yeah, you do."

"I just- I hate feeling like I'm some sort freak of nature. I hate knowing that I'm always going to be _different_, that whenever someone finds out they're going to treat me differently. And most of the time it's not a good change."

"I wish life was fair, Nick, but the truth is… life will never be fair. People are always going to treat other people like dirt. People are always going to make others feel like freaks, but the truth is that the ones who make other people feel like that are the real freaks of nature."

"Have you ever just- felt like everyone hated you? That there was no such thing as a real friend? That you'd never meet anyone who cared about you?"

"Her name was Vanessa Clarke. We were engaged. I loved her more than anything or anyone than I had in my entire life. We were planning the wedding, it would've been the most wonderful day of my life. Then she took it all away."

"What happened?"

"She told me that she was too good for me. That she needed someone that could take care of her, someone that could support her no matter what. In other words she left me to find some rich chump. It was a long time before I even bothered trying to date someone. I thought that love was just another trick. Something that only lured people in, just to turn around and use it against them."

"Just like the lights of Vegas. Draw people in, take their money, and kick them out."

"Yeah. So I gave up. I went for girls who meant nothing to me. I don't know how you do it, Nick. I don't know how you can bare your heart so much. How you can let others see your pain, how you can risk getting hurt so often."

"I do it because I have to. I do it, because if I didn't… life wouldn't have a meaning. I do it- because I have to hope that there are going to be people out there who won't hurt me. Kristy knew, and she was one of so few that _didn't_ hurt me. And, because if I didn't bare my heart… I'd never get the chance to have a friend like you."

"You're a better friend than you know Nick. Just because I don't talk aboutmy problemsdoesn't mean they don't exist. But, you- you giving me the chance to help you… it's helped me more than I can put into words."

"Actions speak louder than words."

"Is that why you always bring a dozen white roses, and a single red rose here?"

"I suppose. I miss her. It doesn't hurt as much anymore though." Nick smiled briefly as he stared down at the polished headstone.

"Things change, I guess."

"Yeah. People come and go. Some hurt us, some give us a gift that too many people take for granted."

"The hard part is figuring out who is who."

"Yeah, I guess I ought to thank you." Nick responded quietly.

"What for?"

Nick smiled, and playfully hit Warrick's shoulder before he answered, "You gave me a gift that no one else could have. You gave me the chance to _really_ live."

"You don't have to thank me, bro. Just being my friend is more than I could've asked for."

Warrick couldn't help but be surprised when he suddenly felt the arms wrap around him tightly. He smiled, and wrapped his own arms around Nick. After a few minutes Nick finally stepped back, chuckling quietly. "Do you think there really is such a thing as 'living happily ever after' or not?"

"I think you've read too many fair tales."

"Nah, man, I'm serious."

"Alright, then yes, I do. If not we're pretty much just wasting air, now aren't we?"

"YeahI guess so." Nick smiled and let out a sigh as he looked up. "You ever stop, and really look at things?"

"Like what?"

"Like the leaves on these tress. Like the flowers on the graves, or the flowers in someone's garden… the sky, birds, animals… just… life."

"Not often anymore. Guess I get too caught up in what I'm doing."

"It's beautiful. I think I'm gonna take a few days off… maybe go up to Lake Mead, pitch my tent, and let myself enjoy the smaller things in life. I think it's been too long since I've let myself see all the little things in life that are- well, perfect. I'd like you to come, that is- if you can get the time off."

"I don't think that'll be much of a problem, I have quite a few vacation days. Besides, Grissom has been hinting at us to take some time off."

"True. So, it's a plan."

"Yeah, man, we'll talk to Grissom and get it planned out tomorrow, deal?"

"Deal. I'll see you tomorrow, then. But, I'd better get home, it's been a long day, and I don't exactly want to fall asleep on the drive home."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow, Nick." Warrick smiled as he watched his friend make his way back towards his truck, before he turned around and faced the spotless headstone. He wondered briefly if Nick had cleaned it himself when he noticed it seemed cleaner than the others. "I wish I had gotten the chance to meet you, to have the chance to thank you in person for what _you_ gave him. But, I guess this'll have to do." He carefully knelt gently by the grave, making sure not to disturb the roses Nick had left. "Thank you." Warrick stood back up, and smiled slightly before turning around and heading home.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Looking forward to reading any comments you may have. 


	13. Fight Night

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"I just don't get it. No matter what, he just doesn't- he doesn't respect me."

"Sure he does." Warrick was immediately concerned that they were broaching this subject once more, even after Nick had seemingly gotten past it. The light tone in his voice made Warrick relax a bit, knowing that it wasn't bothering himnearly as much as it had.

"Yeah, right." Nick grinned and shook his head at Warrick.

"I'm serious."

"Prove it." Nick tried his hardest not to chuckle at Warrick's exaggerated facial expressions.

Warrick smiled slyly. "I sense a challenge."

"No kidding. What gave it away, the 'prove it' part?" Nick couldn't help but laugh at the 'hurt' look Warrick was sending his way.

"Alright, alright. I get it. You want proof. First piece of evidence; you're on our team, his shift. We both know that Grissom would never tolerate having someone on this team if he didn't respect them. Two, he cares about you. I've never seen him as worried as he was when he found out that Crane had been in your house. Afterwards he even managed to play politics well enough to beat Ecklie's suggestion that you shouldn't be back to work for at least a month, if at all. Three, you've been through a lot throughout your life, and you made it through. He respects that about you. He admires the fact that you're still an optimist, that you can see the good in almost anything. You want me to keep going?"

"Nah, but I got a different question for you."

"Shoot."

"Okay, if I went off and told you a fact about a bird, how do you think I'd know that fact?"

"If we were in the lab, I'd say you watched too much TV."

"Oh, and what would you say _out_ of the lab?"

"That, because I know you, that you'd actually read it in a book." Warrick let out a quiet laugh, and patted Nick on the shoulder. "You're looking too deep here, Nicky."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, man. You're completely overanalyzing this."

"You're right." Nick chuckled again shaking his head slightly shook. "What about you? How have you been holding up recently?" Warrick paused, but decided to let the conversation switch topics under Nick's guidance.

"I've been fine."

"You been gambling much?"

Warrick's mouth opened, but no words came out. He could see the slightly nervous look on Nick's face before he let out a sigh. "Not more than usual."

"Is- is there anything I can do?"

"You really feel like being blunt right now, don't you?"

Nick bit his lip, nodded and looked down. "It's just- you've talked about wanting to stop. I'd offer to buy you a shock collar, but I kinda figured you might not fully appreciate its usefulness."

"Nah, I'd probably put it on Greg." That comment got Nick to smile a bit more until it was replaced by a once more serious look.

"Anything Warrick- you need _anything_- just call. Just 'pop-in' I don't care when."

"If I told you I had the urge to go gambling right now, what would you do?"

"I'd tell you there's a great documentary on Peregrine Falcons on the Discovery Channel that you can't miss." Warrick's raised eyebrow made Nick chuckle and he gently hit his friend on the arm. "Ah, come on man- birds are a _great_ hobby. But, if all else fails I'd say we could always catch a movie, or we could play some basketball, maybe grab some drinks."

"Alright- my place half an hour. You get to bring the beer since it was your idea."

"No way- you get the beer- I'm bringing the basketball." Nick shot back with a wide grin. Warrick didn't have time to answer before he was out the door. He sighed, and couldn't help but smile. He wasn't sure what exactly was sparking Nick's all-around better moods, but he was thankful his friend was happier. He certainly hadn't seen him all that happy ever since Hendler had pointed that damn gun in his face. No matter what was the underlying cause, he didn't want anything to ruin it.

"Hey Warrick."

"Hey, you heading home to see Lindsay?"

"Nah, she's with Eddie. What about you?"

"Nick's gonna meet me at my place- gonna have some drinks, play some basketball."

"Ya know- he's actually been in a pretty good mood recently." Catherine replied. She smiled, and chuckled lightly. "I think it's starting to rub off on me. God, I've just been in- in a _good_ mood. Seems like it's been a long time."

Warrick returned the smile, and let out a soft laugh. "Yeah. I know what you mean."

"Keep it up."

That comment got Warrick's eyes to instantly meet hers. He was somewhat surprised to see the approving look on her face. "What are you talking about?"

"You- oh, come on. You're Nick's best friend, and if you can't even realize how much you've gotten him through these last few years…" Her voice trailed off, and she shook her head slightly, "He would never open up if you weren't there to support him. I mean he isn't proud of his past, and you've helped him feel good about himself."

"I'm just being his friend."

"I know. So, keep it up. Now I gotta get out of here, so have fun. Just make sure to get _some_ sleep before next shift."

"Alright. Thanks Catherine."

"Nah, thank you. Seeing him smile so often is great."

"Yeah. I'll see you next shift." Warrick smiled at her as he made his way out of the locker room. He had to admit that things did seem to be picking up for Nick recently, and that alone was enough to keep him in a good mood.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: I'm currently writing four or so other stories right now, so this one is taking a back burner. I've started several future chapters, but it could be awhile before I finish them. Any ideas on episodes after this one would be appreciated since I'm starting to run a little dry, and am starting to lose my motivation on this. As always I look forward to all reviews.

* * *


	14. High and Low

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey, Catherine."

"Hey… I heard you know your Greek mythology. I'm impressed- never would've guessed."

"Yeah, I'm a mystery."

"Yes, you are. So where's Nick?"

"He bugged out early." Warrick couldn't help but wonder where his friend had been so eager to get to.

"Well, good work you guys- both of you. Would you let him know?"

"Thanks. Yeah, I will."

"I'll see you around."

"All right. Have a good morning."

"You too."

* * *

Warrick drove in silence, wondering why Nick wasn't picking up either his cell or home phone. He called a few more times before he actually arrived at Nick's home, only to find the door locked, and the car not in the driveway or in the garage. He sighed, slightly worried about his friend when he stopped in his tracks.

* * *

Half and hour later Warrick pulled to a stop when he spotted Nick's vehicle. He shook his head slightly before making his way out to where the paragliders would take off. His eyes wandered over to the man he recognized as one of the instructors, and without a word he jogged over to where he was watching a single person soaring through the air.

"Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to know a Nick Stokes, would you?"

"Yeah, that's him up there right now."

"_Really_?"

"Yeah, he caught on quick. Already had most of the basics down, and I just showed him some extra techniques. The guy is a natural." Warrick watched with amusement as Nick glided through the air.

"He was born to fly." Warrick couldn't help but to smile as he watched Nick move up and down with various gusts of wind, and hearing the faint sounds of Nick's whoops made him chuckle. "Any idea of where he might come down?"

"Well, we don't advise that first-timers go too far. That way we can at least keep something of an eye on them, and make sure they don't really do anything wrong, or stupid. So, he ought to land somewhere around here, that is, if he ever wants to come down."

"It could be a while; he's waited his whole life to be free." The man gave Warrick a curious look, but then went back to watching Nick as he continued to fly far above them. After a few minutes Warrick sat down, and grinned as he watched.

* * *

Nick had no idea how long he had been up in the air. He had never felt so liberated, free from everything. As soon as his feet touched ground he let out one last shout before carefully extracting himself from the paraglide. At that moment nothing could've rid him of the smile on his face as he let himself fall onto his back. He stared back up at the sky where he could see a bird flying in the distance.

* * *

Warrick started running towards Nick as soon as he saw his friend fall onto his back. He could feel his stomach tighten with worry when his best friend didn't move. Once he got close enough to see the enormous smile on his friend's face he let out a loud sigh, causing Nick to jump.

"Damn, man, you shouldn't sneak up on people!" Nick tried to sound irritated, but the light-hearted tone told Warrick he wasn't even slightly mad at him.

"I think you ought to have your hearing checked, Nicky, I ran right over here, and it's not like you can run around these slopes and keep it quiet."

"Ah- yeah, maybe so." He chuckled as he let his head fall back down.

"Any reason that you're lying down there?"

"I've been getting new perspectives. First from way up there… now from down here."

"Looked like you were having a blast."

"I was. You have no idea what exhilarating is until you've felt the air carrying you higher and higher… It was- like something from a dream that you can only wish would come true. I don't think I've ever felt so- free. It was like while I was up there… everything was right, it was good. I couldn't make myself think of a single negative thing up there."

Warrick smiled. There was no mistaking the calm, relaxed look on Nick's face. It was a look he wasn't used to seeing, but then again he wasn't quite used to the more upbeat attitude. So much had changed over the years between them. He could still remember when he had first met Nick, and while he had been wary of him at first it hadn't taken long for them to become friends. As he thought about it he realized much of what he'd first gotten to know of Nick had been false, an image he had set up in an attempt to keep himself distanced. At least now he _knew_ that the Nick Stokes lying in front of him on the ground was truly content, and maybe even happy.

It was something Warrick had wanted for him ever since he had found out about Amy Hendler's actions. Something that had only grown when Kristy had died. Something that had grown more important when he had found out about Nick's babysitter. Something that had become critical to achieve when they found out about Nigel Crane. So much had happened over the past three years, and, while it scared him, he knew that allowing himself to fully trust Nick had been the best decision he'd made in his entire life.

Words weren't adequate to really describe their friendship. They were like brothers, best friends, and yet they were more. While they had their differences both knew that no matter what they could count on each other. Both knew that the other's loyalty to them was above questioning. Both knew that the other would do anything to help them.

For Warrick it was an entirely foreign concept. While growing up he hardly talked about his feelings, or his problems with anyone. He hadn't grown up with many people around; his few role models included his grandmother and a handful of teachers. He had never had a friend that he could always count on. That had all changed though, as soon as he had met Nick at the airport to take him to the lab. While their friendship was new, and foreign, to him, he couldn't have been happier to have the chance to experience it.

For Nick it was something he had always dreamt of. He had always searched for someone who could look at him without judging him, someone who wouldn't be treat him like a freak. Fear had been his primary feeling when he had moved to Vegas. It had almost gotten him to rethink the entire situation. His plan had been to hide everything for as long as he could, and that the moment someone found out that he would take off. Except that hadn't been how things had turned out. Warrick hadn't called him a freak. Warrick had given him the comfort he had wanted for decades. Warrick had allowed him to live.

When tears started falling from his eyes Warrick was slightly taken aback. Nick had seemingly just gone from some phase of jubilation to contentment to breaking down into tears. "What is Nick? Is something wrong?"

"Nah man. I- I just haven't felt… I haven't felt so alive since before I was nine. I've never felt so free- so… _happy_. I- I gotta thank you." Nick chuckled softly as he wiped some of the tears from his eyes. He was having trouble putting it all into words; he was dealing with emotions that he had doubted he'd ever feel for the rest of his life.

"Why are you thanking me?"

"You're setting me free. You let me fly. Catherine, and the others… I love em. They don't let me drown, but they just keep me _grounded_. They let me see the truth, they let me hear and feel it, but that's it. You- you let me dream, you let dreams come true. You let me _fly_. That means the world to me, man."

Nick offered what might've been the biggest real smile Warrick had ever seen, and slowly got to his feet. Warrick watched with interest as Nick collected his gear. He helped his friend lug it back to the Tahoe, and then he noticed that the massive smile hadn't left Nick's face.

"What are you gonna do now?"

"I think I'll head home, grab some clean clothes, then go for a nice long walk. I haven't done that in a while. What about you?"

"I dunno, I guess I might crash- try and find a good game."

"Why don't you come with me? It'd be fun."

* * *

Warrick knew exactly how he had ended up walking at a leisurely pace through a park with his best friend. There was no way he could've said no to the huge smile.

"I haven't just walked for the heck of it in a long time."

"That's too bad. It's been a while since I have, but I gotta start it up again." Nick let out a satisfied sigh as they made their way through the trees. "Definitely better therapy than a shrink- not quite the thrill of paragliding- but still good."

"Just feels kind of weird if you ask me. I never just wander around- always gotta have some sort of destination, ya know what I mean?"

"Yeah. But you gotta slow down, bro. You gotta enjoy life- see it- _feel_ it. It's beautiful- beyond words, even." Nick let out a deep breath, and looked over at Warrick who had stopped walking. "Something wrong man?"

"Nah- just trying to take it in. Not much is happening though."

"Give it time man. Just relax. Enjoy life. You'll see it."

Warrick glanced over at Nick, with a skeptical look on his face. It went away when he saw how relaxed Nick was. That alone was enough to allow him to relax. After a while he couldn't help but feel enraptured. It had been a long time since he had felt so calm, so peaceful, and he had a suspicion that it was the first time in a long time Nick had been like this as well.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Thanks for all the reviews for the previous chapters. Next chapter will be 'Random Acts of Violence'. I hope you take the time to send a review, they are always appreciated. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

* * *


	15. Random Acts of Violence

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

Warrick let out a frustrated sigh when he heard the rapping on his door. He was in some state of emotional overload that he had never felt before. The sight of the rec center doors closing kept replaying over and over again. He swung the door open wide, ready to lay into whoever it was that was on the other side.

Instead of yelling the obscenities his mind had been urging him to scream once the door opened, he froze. Nick was standing just outside his door, looking a bit awkward.

"Hey. Uh- if it's a bad time I can come back later…"

"Why would it be a bad time?" Warrick asked the sarcasm creeping into his voice.

"Well- you, uh, were swearing loud enough for me to hear you from out here…" Nick asked, and Warrick could tell he was nervous. The fact that he had actually been saying the words echoing in his mind wasn't the least bit surprising.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see how you were holding up."

"Well- I'm not, so I'll see ya later." He shot back, not caring that he was letting his anger out on his best friend. Just as he went to slam the door he stopped. The hurt look on Nick's face was enough to dissipate a large chunk of the fury boiling inside of him. "Ah- hell, Nick… I- I'm sorry. It's just that tonight was so hard…"

Before he could say anything Nick pulled him into a hug, and patted his back. "It wasn't your fault, Warrick. These things happen. Come on- we'll talk about it." Nick answered, his voice, slow, and calming. Warrick realized he didn't have much choice as Nick easily slipped past him and fell back onto the couch.

"Can I get you a beer?"

"I- uh, I was thinking it might be better to talk first, drink later."

"Fine." Warrick knew he was being rude, and his curt replies were undoubtedly out of line for someone who was only trying to help him.

"I heard about your case, and that rec center closing. I'm sorry man."

"That place is the sole reason I ever made it into college. I mean it kept me off the streets- gave me the chance to meet good people. It was the reason I never accepted drugs from other kids in my high school… It gave me the chance to live- it helped so many kids… and now it's closed because of me."

"It wasn't your fault. You felt for him- you wanted to make things right…"

"Yeah- and then I screwed it all up."

"No you didn't- man… that place will open up again- it'll help other kids. There is always going to be _someone_ who'll step up to the plate. I know it's hard, but-"

"You have no idea-" He immediately regretted the words once they were out of his mouth, and the surge of guilt that came with seeing the hurt look on Nick's face was enough to make himself sick. No matter what had happened, Nick didn't deserve crap from him.

"I was _ten_. Just riding my bike around- and then I saw _her_. She was heading into a house of a kid I knew from school. The next day he wouldn't speak to anyone at school. Wouldn't let anyone get closer than a foot to him. I knew what happened to him. I knew it was my fault- after all… I hadn't turned her in, but ya know what? You're right- I don't know how much it hurts. I don't know what it's like for peoples' lives to be ruined because of my mistakes."

"Nick- I- I'm sorry."

"I know it's hard, Warrick. I know it hurts- but life goes on. May not feel like it now, and you'll never forget it... I- uh, I should probably get home…" Nick immediately stood, his discomfort blatantly obvious. Warrick's silence was deafening, and it was becoming harder to fight off the tears. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't want Warrick to see him cry. He didn't want Warrick to have to deal with his problems when his friend had more than enough to handle. He smiled weakly and stood before heading for the door.

"I don't need your help." That got Nick to stop, although he wasn't sure why he had even said them. The look on Nick's face grew more pained, and, while he regretted saying them, his anger had already taken over. And it didn't want to relinquish control anytime soon.

"Oh. So basically we're only friends if I'm the one who needs help. Then again- maybe we're not even friends. Friends help _each other_. I thought we had that, but I guess I was wrong- only poor pathetic Nicky could ever possibly get help. Everyone else can deal with stuff on their own, huh? Well- fine. You can join the long list of people who I bared my soul to only to have them throw it back in my face."

Warrick wasn't sure what exactly he was doing. All he knew was that his body wouldn't move. Nick was obviously fighting back tears, but he didn't know why his friend would suddenly be so concerned about letting his emotions show. After all, Nick had always been the one to really open up, Nick had always been the one who needed the reassurance, the one who had always needed the help.

That was 'comfortable' for him. It was what he was used to. Warrick never went to others about his problems. Except he knew that wasn't true. He had gone to the rec center for help, and he had ended up making the place close. Deep down he was scared that by letting Nick help _him_, afraid that he'd eventually hurt Nick to the point where he would close down once and for all. When the thought occurred to him he realized that he had just hurt Nick more deeply than he had realized at first. That was something he wasn't prepared to accept. He had never wanted to hurt Nick.

* * *

By the time he had forced himself up from his infuriated daze on his couch and made it out his front door Nick was long gone. Not a single piece of evidence that even suggested he had been there. The surge of guilt forced Warrick into his truck, even though his body only wanted a restful sleep. At the moment Nick was what mattered.

He found Nick's house to be empty, and he had let himself in using his spare key. The dark clouds overhead actually seemed to agree with his mood, something that wasn't known for happening. It always seemed that the weather had wanted to prove him wrong. That whenever he was sad, even depressed, that life was still beautiful, that plants, flowers, trees still grew and flourished. That life went on. But not this time. Not when he only wanted to see the sun again, not when he wanted to take a long walk with Nick through the park by his house.

After checking the bars Nick most often frequented, and even checking the diner, he realized he didn't know what to do. _He doesn't trust me… He said that I was on the list of people that basically made him feel like a freak. So- where would he go if he wanted to feel normal?_

That was when the answer struck him. He knew exactly where Nick would go if he felt like he was nothing more than a freak. Nick would go to the first person that had ever made him feel normal. Without hesitating he pulled a sharp U-turn, and sped off down the surprisingly empty streets of Las Vegas.

* * *

He slowed down significantly when he drove beneath the large wrought iron arch. The truck lurched to a stop, and he had barely pulled the keys out of the ignition before jumping out onto the rough pavement. He walked past the long, fertile grass and that's when he saw him.

It made him sick to see his friend as broken down as he was. Seeing Nick on his knees with his head in his hands, letting his emotions all out, was a sight Warrick couldn't prepare for. His friend's face was hidden in his hand, while his other hand was gently held up against the name engraved on the polished stone he had gone out of his way to get. The name Kristy Hopkins was clearly visible. His guilt and his anger weren't worth this. None of his emotions were worth the pain he had inflicted on the man who was his best friend. It was a role he had failed miserably at fulfilling, but he was determined to fix what he had done.

"You're not pathetic Nick. You're not a freak." Nick jumped slightly, surprised by his presence.

"W-what are you… doing _here_?" His voice was quiet and sad, as if he didn't want to wake someone.

"You were right Nick, and I _am_ sorry." Warrick took a deep breath before he went on, "You were wrong about one thing though. People don't tell the truth when they're angry. They lie- they lash out, so that they can hurt people… even people that mean a lot to them. Just like I did to you."

That got Nick to finally look up. The tears had stopped falling from his eyes, but the tracks of others were still clearly visible. The look of sincerity in Warrick's eyes was enough to convince him he wasn't lying. "I… I know."

"Come on man- there's, uh, someone I'd like you to meet."

* * *

"Hey, Grams- where are you?" Warrick called out as he led Nick down a hallway in the small, cozy home. He couldn't help but notice the fact that it was a stereotypical house of a loving grandparent. The pictures of Warrick at various points in his life made him smile. Relief was still coursing through him; they were still best friends.

"It's about time you visited, young man." Nick smiled as she appeared from what was probably the kitchen. She wasn't too tall, and though she was thin and seemingly frail Nick could tell she had a lot of strength in her. She definitely wasn't someone he'd want to get in an argument with. "Oh- and you must be Nick. Warrick's told me quite a bit about you. Come on into the living room and I'll bring you some drinks." Her stern disposition had immediately changed when she saw the other man standing in the hall looking thoroughly amused.

"Thank you, ma'am." Nick answered before Warrick led him to the living room at the end of the hall. She bustled back in carrying a tray of food. Minutes later she was back again with three glasses and a pitcher full of what Nick suspected to be lemonade.

"Oh- what's wrong dear? You've been crying."

Nick froze, his smile faded a bit. He wasn't quite sure how to respond, and he didn't really want to open the still fresh wounds of his past. "Uh, I lost a loved one- a few years back. She meant a lot to me. I'll never forget her."

"Losing the ones we love is the hardest thing we ever have to do. But- I'm sure she is in a better place now. That's why we have friends. I don't know if my often-thickheaded grandson has told you this, but you mean a lot to him. The kind of friendship you have isn't something that's commonly shared. You're like a brother to him- that means you're like my own grandchild. So- if you ever need anything, Nick- you don't hesitate to ask me, ya understand?"

"Yes ma'am." Nick felt his smile return, glad that she hadn't tried to delve deeper into his past.

"See, Warrick- that's the kind of manners I tried to teach you. So, take a hint- and you could try to be a bit more like your friend here…" Nick let out a quiet chuckle that made her smile, knowing that she had achieved her goal of the statement. It was obvious he had been through a lot more than losing the woman he loved, but she also knew that he wouldn't just give out information about his past to anyone. Another reason why she was so glad he and Warrick were friends; it was obvious they trusted and cared about each other. It was obvious that they were friends, and that was something that would never change.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Thanks for all the reviews, and I look forward to the comments on this, and future chapters. They've been replaying season one, and I've noticed little comments here and there that really suggest Kristy Hopkins really meant a lot to Nick, so I plan on exploring a bit more on how he felt about her in upcoming chapters. I think 'Lady Heather's Box' is going to be the next chapter, but if someone has an idea for 'One Hit Wonder' I'm all ears. Once again- thanks for the reviews, and hope you enjoyed this chapter.

* * *


	16. Lady Heather's Box

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey, Lindsay, h-how are you doing?"

"I'm... ok." Nick's heart broke seeing the little girl standing in the doorway. He carefully knelt down beside her, and pulled a small stuffed bear from his coat. She smiled, and let Nick pull her into a hug.

"You're one tough cookie, but I bet I'm not the first one to tell you that."

"Thank you for the bear."

"It's nothin. How is your mom doing?"

"She's in her room…"

"Do you think I could go see her?"

"I guess."

"Thanks. Warrick is coming too, if that's ok."

"It's ok. Think he'd read me a story?"

"I think he'd even act out the cool parts, for you sweetie. I'm gonna talk to your mom now, ok?"

"Yeah." Nick rubbed her shoulders gently, and gave her another hug before closing the door behind them, and locking it. "What about Warrick?"

"He has a key. And I bet Warrick got you an even _bigger_ bear."

"I'm scared. She was crying." Lindsay's voice was still quiet, and Nick gently picked her up and carried her to the couch in the living room. He gently set her down, and pulled a blanket over her.

"You just wait here for Warrick. Everything is going to be fine, I _promise_." He softly slipped a strand of hair behind her ear, and brushed his thumb across her cheek before getting up and heading down the hall towards Catherine's room. He could hear the muffled sobs through the cracked door.

After fighting the urge to knock, he took the risk of entering her room, and he closed his eyes tightly before moving across the room to where she was lying on her bed crying. Nick sat down at the foot of the bed, and cleared his throat quietly. The slight change in Catherine's breathing was enough to tell Nick she knew he was there. He didn't speak until he noticed that she was trying hard to stop crying.

"It's ok to let it all out, Catherine. I learned that the hard way."

"I don't know what to do. I don't know how to handle this…"

"Don't worry. Listen, Warrick is gonna stop by, he'll take care of Lindsay." Nick wasn't sure of what to do. He wasn't sure if he should give her space or hold her close. While he had almost lost his own life on several occasions, he had no idea how he would feel if he were in Catherine's position. It was part of why Warrick and he had both known that she and Lindsay would need their help.

"Then you're here-"

"I'm here to take care of _you_. We may not have a pact, but it doesn't mean that I wouldn't do anything for you."

Catherine smiled weakly, and Nick made the decision to sit beside her on her bed, and pulled her into a hug. Neither spoke. After a few moments Catherine started to let the tears out; no longer caring about being strong. Nick gently rocked her back and forth and began whispering to her that it'd be all right.

Warrick knocked before he unlocked the door. He found Lindsay curled up in a ball on the couch. Without a word he sat next to her and pulled her close. She quickly wrapped her arms tightly around him, and he could feel his heart ache for the little girl.

"Hey. You okay?"

Lindsay only shook her head slightly in response.

"It's gonna be alright Lindsay. And- if you ever, and I mean _ever_ need something… you can always count on me. You can count on Nick too." This time she responded by burrowing herself closer against Warrick, and he sat back, holding her as she reluctantly let the tears fall. He carefully placed the large stuffed bear on the coffee table before returning his full attention to the little girl in his arms.

* * *

Catherine wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep, but there was a bright light shining in through her window. That was when she felt the hands still closed around her own, and she realized that two strong arms were wrapped protectively around her. When she looked over to her side she was only partially surprised to see Nick lying there. The memories of the previous night becoming more clear as she watched him sleeping peacefully.

She smiled slightly at his extremely wrinkled button up shirt, and dark jeans. The concern she remembered seeing there almost seemed to stay etched in his face, as his muscles tightened for brief periods of time. Her smile grew when she realized that he really would do anything for her. Warrick as well. It had been a long time since she had felt the comfort they were so willing to give. At any other moment she would have gotten up, but now she let out a deep breath before allowing herself to sink back into her pillow and accept what comfort she could find.

* * *

It was a few hours later before she woke up. This time she could hear Nick's voice. She couldn't hear what he was saying though, because he was barely even mumbling. Her eyes traveled to him, and she immediately grew concerned when she saw the look on his face. His eyes were shut tightly; she knew he was having a nightmare.

Without hesitating she gently shook his shoulder, and he jumped a bit. His eyes opened quickly, as he tried to regain his thoughts. When he realized he wasn't in his own room, and that there were soft hands on his face he was confused. When the memories of the previous night came flooding back full force he let out a sigh. His attention immediately went to Catherine and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"You okay, Nick?"

"Yeah- I should be asking you that though."

"Nah- I'll get through- _we'll_ get through this. I can't thank you enough, Nick. You were here for me when I needed you most, and that means a lot."

"You're my friend. Besides you've saved my butt, and you've always been there for me." Nick answered. For him it was enough, it explained it perfectly; friends were supposed to do anything for each other. Not because they had to, but because they wanted to, because they cared.

Catherine smiled. "You're my friend too, Nick." She knew Nick valued friendship, and, while she didn't know how much it meant to him, she wouldn't hesitate to say that he treasured it beyond words. The smile Nick gave her at that was enough to make her chuckle lightly. _With friends like him, and like Warrick- everything will always be okay._

"You want to go back to sleep? Or we could go make some breakfast."

"Breakfast sound good." Catherine answered, noting the relief on Nick's face. _Yep- definitely had a nightmare. Life just loves throwing curveballs I guess._

He helped her to get up from the bed, and they walked quietly into the hallway. When they passed the living room both smiled at the sight of Warrick curled up on his side, holding Lindsay close. Nick was genuinely surprised that neither had fallen off the couch, and he chuckled as he made his way into the kitchen. Catherine followed after a few moments, and together they had started to make breakfast.

She couldn't remember the last time she had gone so full out with breakfast before, but with Nick doing most of the work by making coffee, bacon, sausage, and pancakes it was much easier. She was only in charge of making scrambled eggs and toast. When they heard a soft groan from the other room they knew Warrick and Lindsay were waking up.

They quietly went to the doorway, and watched as Lindsay slid off the couch. When she saw Catherine and Nick she hurried over, and wrapped her arms around her mom's legs. Nick let out a loud laugh when Warrick let out another quiet groan and rolled right off the couch.

The moments he hit the floor his eyes snapped open. The unfamiliar carpet was a bit odd, and he felt slightly disoriented. His head spun a few times, but the fact that he could hear people laughing was a bit confusing. After a few seconds his mind cleared, and he realized he had fallen off of Catherine's sofa. His eyes darted up to see Catherine, Nick, and Lindsay laughing. The glare he shot at them soon died, and he felt himself chuckling with them.

"Ah, come on, bro, it could've been worse. Now, some of this food should be getting done- so why don't we go eat?" Nick offered, gently pushing Catherine and Lindsay into the kitchen. Before Warrick walked past Nick shot him a smile. The smile that conveyed that they had actually helped, a smile that made Warrick feel like everything was going to be ok.

A few minutes later they were all seated around the kitchen laughing and talking lightly. Each one of them was grateful for the others' company, and they were all glad that they had someone they could always count on.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Thanks for all the reviews so far- hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. Not sure what episode is next, but most likely it will be 'A Night at the Movies'. Thanks for the feedback, and hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters as well as the past ones.

* * *


	17. A Night at the Movies

**Out of Harm's Way**

"It'll never cease to amaze me just how stupid people can be." Nick muttered with a quiet sigh.

"Yeah- especially when it ends up killing a kid." Warrick answered morosely.

Sara watched their conversation with interest. She watched how they were interacting, and couldn't help but smile. Though they didn't realize it, their unique friendship was something that had started to make her more social. It had even been a large part of why she had stayed in Vegas for so long. She had never met anyone as close as they were. She had never known anyone in California that had been truly good friends. The fact that they could communicate without saying a thing was beyond impressive, and it was good knowing that she could count on them for anything. Nick wouldn't hesitate to help her, and she suspected Warrick might be a bit more reluctant. While she was fairly sure there weren't hard feelings between them any longer she knew that her lack of trust, and her doubt in him would always taint their friendship.

It was refreshing to see the two just talking, or joking. Even their betting on crime scenes would bring a smile to her face. They made the job something she had never thought it could be. They made it fun, interesting, and exciting. Her job as a CSI had always been to focus on the evidence, to solve the crime and give justice to the victim. Nick and Warrick had shown her that there was more to life than the job. She was extremely thankful that it was something she had gotten the chance to experience, and she suspected it was something everyone really wanted.

Catherine watched through the window. People bustled about noisily behind her, but she was more interested in watching Nick and Warrick start to jokingly throw a few playful punches at each other. A few minutes later they had calmed down, and were easily engrossed in some game that she couldn't see. Her attention turned to Sara who was obviously enjoying the sight of the two.

Nothing would ever be the same, and she knew that. But this time it was in a good way. Both men in the break room had gone through hell. Nick was clearly doing better. His smiles and his laughter weren't a rare thing anymore. Then again he had suffered through a nightmare when he had been holding her. She couldn't help but wonder if it was common for him to have such nightmares while he was asleep in his own home. Who was it that he would see in those nightmares? Did he see Nigel Crane, maybe Amy Hendler, or even the babysitter who had stolen so much from him.

Warrick had been through a lot as well. His parents had died when he was a kid, he had always had problems making friends when he was younger. His gambling and the closure of a rec center he cared dearly about added even more to that burden. Though he was better at hiding his emotions than Nick he still had his outbursts. She would always know when he was feeling guilty as well. It was one of the few feelings he didn't have under control. Especially when he was feeling guilty about something that had happened to Nick.

The fact that the two were friends said a lot. She wondered a lot about how they had ever become friends with their vastly different personalities, with their constantly different views on various aspects of life. Then again the evidence was right in front of her. It was in the break room as they joked around. It was in the wide smiles on both their faces.

Nothing in life has to make sense. It was something the two sitting on the couch had taught her. But, as she continued to watch them, another smile played across her face. It didn't matter. They were smiling. They were laughing. They were happy. It didn't matter why, it was enough that it was true. She took a deep breath, and moved to enter the break room. It wasn't long before they had her laughing and joking with them as well.

The sound of four people laughing in the lab was something Grissom would have to get used to. It had been a while since anyone had laughed. Most of the people they met each day were anything but happy. Even the people within the lab rarely smiled. It was hard to be happy when one was confronted by death everyday. It was hard to even smile.

Then Nick had shown up. Things had started to change. While Catherine and Warrick had worked with him before Nick's transfer to Vegas, they had never really been friends. They had been colleagues, people they could work well with, they learned each other's idiosyncrasies. Yet they hadn't been friends. They hadn't gotten together out of the lab.

Things didn't change much at first. Nick was the new guy, but he had caught on quick. In a few days he had befriended almost every lab tech. The next to go was Catherine. He had never seen her take to anyone so quickly, and she let Nick get away with saying things no one else would've dared. It had helped that Nick had agreed to baby-sit Lindsay if she couldn't find anyone else. She had clearly been impressed, and after he had taken care of Lindsay twice the little girl had asked her mother if Nick could be her full time babysitter. The night he had kept a drunken Eddie from going anywhere near Lindsay, and had thus ended up with a bloody nose sealed the deal for her. Nick had become her friend.

Warrick was next. The challenges Warrick set up to 'prove' that Nick was a good CSI, and a good guy all around were all passed. They would be competitive, at crime scenes, at trying to convince the lab techs to process their stuff first. Nick had always won by staying silent, and letting the lab techs choose to process his evidence since to spite Warrick who had relentlessly tried to get his tests completed first. Somewhere along the line the competition had grown, and soon incorporated sports, and various games. Somewhere along the line they had realized they were friends.

He didn't know when Nick had become his friend. Nick was unlike any other CSI he had ever met. Nick could smile, tease, and joke, all without offending anyone. Nick had an unusual understanding of victims that enabled him to read people in a way he didn't understand. While he had always pondered what had given Nick such abilities the deep-rooted pain in the young man's life had been a shock.

Grissom smiled at the memory of the very first time the four of them had gotten together outside of work. Nick had invited them all out at the same time. When he was answered with a quick 'no' from each of them he had taken a different route. None of them had even suspected anything when Nick had asked each of them to go out for a quick breakfast without the others knowledge. When they had come face to face with each other at the restaurant Nick had merely smiled a bit sheepishly, and shrugged.

Then it had become routine. After shift they would get together, even though Grissom often skipped out. And they became friends. It had been the start of the team he loved working with. A team that he could never lose confidence in, a team he enjoyed being around. Even Sara, one of the least social people he knew had quickly given in to Nick's efforts to get her out more. She had been incorporated into the team essentially due to Nick's kind and gentle encouragement.

His smile remained, he was happy. Through thick and thin they would remain friends. It was new, and unfamiliar, even nerve-racking. But it was also interesting, thrilling, something that reminded him of a roller coaster. A roller coaster they were riding together. His thoughts drifted for a while, before he rose and headed into the break room. After witnessing a few bouts of playful joking and teasing even he couldn't suppress a slight chuckle and a grin.

They were definitely a team.

To Be Continued…

Notes: This chapter was a bit different from the others, but I wanted to write about Nick and Warrick's friendship from the perspectives of the rest of the team. I also wanted to go into why their friendship was important, and how it affected others without them necessarily realizing it. I'm almost to season four, but I'm at least going to do 'Play With Fire' and 'Inside the Box' first. Hope you liked it, and I hope you take the time to review.


	18. Play With Fire

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey, Greggo."

His eyes lifted slightly to take in Nick who was trying to look comfortable in the chair beside his bed. "Hey Nick."

"When you gonna get out of here?"

"I- I'm not- I don't know…"

Nick smiled briefly before punching him in the arm just so that his fingers barely touched the hospital gown. "I'm sure it'll be soon. Any plans on what you're going to do when you do get out of here? I've got plenty of games and movies if you wanna borrow em."

Greg didn't answer. He looked back down at the bed before taking a quick glance up at Nick. "Aren't you going to ask me how I'm doing?" Nick missed the sarcasm in his weak voice.

"No. I've been in your position- I hated it when people asked me that, when they smothered me with all their questions and their pity-filled glances were even worse. I guess I just thought you'd be like that too. Damn it- I'm sorry Greg."

"Don't be."

"Just- I wanted to help cheer you up some. Obviously it didn't work. I'm sorry, Greg."

"Nothing to be sorry for. I was just surprised that you didn't ask."

That seemed to get Nick to relax a bit more, though he was definitely still on edge. Not that Greg was blaming him, he had been in the lab too. There was a cut on his arm that proved that much. Plus, Nick was probably more used to being on the receiving end of trouble half the time. It didn't bother him that Nick wasn't necessarily the most comforting person who could be in the room at the moment. Then again, Nick hadn't asked that one question that always got on his nerves. That alone was enough to keep him in the clear.

They spoke for a little while longer. Jokes were shot back and forth, and Greg couldn't help but crack a smile. It wasn't something he had thought he'd be able to do, yet Nick had given him something the others couldn't. He had given him empathy. Nick didn't shoot pitying glances his direction. He held eye contact, and didn't try to hide it when his gaze happened to fall to some of the bandages. Most of all, Nick had treated him like he would treat anyone. While he didn't playfully hit his arm, the conversation hadn't been awkward or forced.

When his eyes finally closed he still had his smile plastered on his face. He barely managed to pass a groggy goodbye to Nick before his eyes finally closed.

Nick quietly left the room, and silently shut the door behind him. His smile faltered, and he let it die quickly. He was more than glad that Greg was going to be ok. Only he couldn't help but feel that if it had been him no one could've made him smile. It had taken a long time for him to wear a carefree smile after Kristy had died, after Hendler had held the gun to his head, after Nigel Crane had lived in his attic. While Greg's smile hadn't really been carefree it was more than Nick had had to offer anyone so soon after tragedy struck.

He ignored Ecklie as they passed in the hallway. His nerves still rising. Even after two years he was still livid with the dayshift supervisor. Though he could forgive Ecklie for thinking he could kill someone, he could never forgive the man for treating Kristy like she had meant nothing. He passed a few more people he recognized from the lab. All of them went ignored until he saw Sara sitting on a hospital bed with Grissom standing by her. There was a doctor examining her wrist. She obviously wanted to be anywhere else but in that room.

He waited patiently until the doctor walked out of the room with Grissom close behind. Without a word he entered the room.

"Nick- what are you doing here?"

"I, uh, I was visiting Greg. I thought your wrist was fine?" He knew he was stalling, but the conversation that was on the breach of being brought up was one he wasn't really looking forward to.

"It was fine for awhile, then it started to hurt, so Grissom dragged me back down here."

"Listen, Sara- can… can we talk?"

"We're already talking Nick."

"Sara- about before… you're not indestructible. You can't just-"

"Save it Nick." She cut him off. She watched his concerned expression change from concerned to hurt to exasperation.

"No. Damn it Sara- you could've _died_ out there today! You don't know what it's like to be staring down the wrong end of a gun. I've done it twice Sara- two times too many. It scared the hell out of me to know that my brains could've been plastered all over the room." He paused, letting his words sink in. Her defiance seemed to decline a bit more, and he noticed she was no longer looking anywhere near him. "That shouldn't happen to _anyone_, Sara. You jeopardized a lot today- most important being your _life._"

"What do you want Nick?" Sara answered, staring intently at the floor. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle the sad look she knew was on his face.

"I want you to be safe. Please, just _promise_ me that you won't put yourself in danger again, Sara. _Please_- you're my friend… I don't want to lose you- like… like you all nearly lost me."

"I- I'm sorry Nick. I just- I didn't think. But, I do promise that I won't put myself in danger."

Her eyes finally went up to see Nick, and she was slightly surprised to see his eyes watering. It was something she could never get used to. Nick was strong, he was brave, he was caring, and seeing him so worried made her realize just how stupid her brash actions had been.

"Thank you. I- I better get going, but I'll see you next shift, alright?"

"Sure thing Nick." She didn't know what else to say. She thought of apologizing again, but decided that if she kept repeating it the value of the words would lessen. She took a deep breath as Nick made his way out of the room and down the hall. After a few moments of silence she bit her lip and swore that she'd be more careful, even if it was more for Nick's sake than her own. Sara was determined that she wouldn't be the source of more pain and grief for a man who had been through hell.

Nick wiped at his eyes as he made his way through the front entrance of the hospital. Talking with Greg had been easy going, and light-hearted. His goal of letting the younger man smile and even chuckle hadn't been too hard. The conversation with Sara had drained him of what little remained of his energy. He hoped that he had gotten through to her, and knew that even if it meant he had to relive the worst times of his life he would do it if it meant helping a friend.

"Willows."

"Hey Catherine, how are you holding up?"

"I'll be fine Nick- anything you need?"

"Nah, I just figured that I'd talk to you, and that if you needed anything-" Nick offered, trying to be supportive and to hopefully ease some of the guilt he could tell she was feeling.

"I'll be okay Nicky- thanks for calling. It means a lot, but I'm just going to spend the next few days with Lindsey, and catching up on some stuff at home."

"Okay, just- just call me if you need anything, please?"

"I promise you'll be the first person I talk to if I need anything, alright?"

"Alright. I'll see ya around." Nick sighed inwardly, but could tell by her tone that she wasn't ready to forgive herself, or ready to really talk about what had happened.

"Yeah, get some rest, Nick. I'll see you soon." She smiled slightly before hanging up. _Leave it to Nick to try and cheer me up when everyone else is going for my throat. Only Nick…leave it to you to try and cheer everyone up. Except for yourself…_ She sighed and immediately picked up her phone.

He fell back tiredly onto his leather couch. With a loud sigh he made a few swipes before he successfully grabbed the remote. In seconds he found himself trying to let his mind be absorbed into the game. When it didn't work he flipped the channel and tried to lose himself in a documentary on wildlife in Montana. After flipping through several more channels he hit the power button and the screen went black.

Then he noticed how his hands were shaking. His jaw was trembling. He hit the power button again, and started changing channels one after another, desperate to find some distraction. The last thing he wanted was to think about the events that had transpired earlier. Except no TV show would be enough to stop him from knowing that he had nearly lost two friends in one shift.

The unexpected knock on his door made him jump clear of his couch. He quickly turned the TV off, and hurried across his living room. A few seconds later he had swung the door open only to see Warrick with his hand raised to knock again.

"H-hey, what are you doing here?"

"Hey. I was just worried about you man." Warrick answered. He decided not to mention Catherine's call. Besides it had only fully convinced him that Nick wasn't going to be handling the recent events too well.

"Wh-why are you worried about me?" Nick asked, his voice laced with confusion.

"Come on, Buddy- we both know how much you care about your friends. You almost lost two of your closest friends today. Don't tell me you're not having a hard time with that; you definitely can't pull off a lie like that right now. Besides you've got tears building up in your eyes." He was answered by Nick hastily wiping at his eyes, and brushing as much evidence of the tears that had fallen away as he could.

"I- I didn't realize I was crying…" He let out a shaky breath that only served to somehow embarrass himself even more. _Greg's in the hospital, Sara could've gotten herself killed, and here I am- the only one breaking down. I'm not the one who should need comfort, yet here I am- falling apart._

"Hey man, it's okay to cry ya know? There's nothing you need to be embarrassed about."

"Of course there is. I'm not the one in a hospital suffering from all kinds of burns. I'm not the one who could've gotten killed by a suspect. And here I am- the only one breaking down, falling apart, losing control. They're going through hell knows what right now, and here I am… being- pathetic."

"Nick- _trust­_ me when I say this. It's hard to watch bad things happen to friends. The hardest thing I've ever had to face… those were the nights when Hendler pulled a gun on you, when Crane pushed you out that window- then when I found you in that alley… and when Kristy died. I know how hard it is, Nick. I cried myself to sleep- I still do sometimes."

"W-why didn't you say anything?" Nick asked in confusion as he followed Warrick back into his living room.

"Because, man- the way I saw it… You were the one going through hell. I didn't think I had any reason to be crying. Except- Nick, I've learned a lot from you over the years. You taught me to care so deeply for my friends. That kind of closeness means that when you hurt- I hurt. When one of your friends hurts you hurt. It's perfectly normal, okay even, that two of our friends coming so close to death would hurt us. Believe me- it's okay to cry."

"Thank you." His voice trailed off as he immediately hugged Warrick. Tears fell, but neither one bothered trying to stop them. Neither one let go.

They were best friends. They were brothers, and they'd always have each other.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: 'Inside the Box' is next. It'll revolve largely around Nick and Grissom, while Warrick helps out. I wanted to show how Nick put the others before himself in this chapter, and try to shine a different light on him since he always seems to be the victim. Anyway- hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you take some time to review. And thanks to everyone who has reviewed the past chapters! 


	19. Inside the Box

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Alright, Grissom, spill."

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, tell me why you keep leaving while people are trying to talk to you, especially me."

"I- uh, I really don't know what you're talking about, Nick."

"H-how can you not realize? This whole year… you've been acting strange. Catherine and Warrick seemed to notice it a bit too. What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Th-this doesn't have anything to do with… well I mean, this really started when I told you about my, uh, past…"

"Nick, I would _never_ ignore you because you were a victim of a terrible crime. How could you even think that?"

"Well, she made me feel so- _worthless_. And after being dumped by so many girls because my nightmares freaked them out… it wouldn't be the first time. Apparently I talk during some of my nightmares. One girl actually told me she just couldn't take the emotional baggage that dating me would bring, and she kicked me out five minutes after I had woken up. I try to trust people, but I just- I have my doubts. I mean, only three people have ever really treated me like a human when they found out anything about my past, and one of them died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry if I made you feel worthless, Nick, but it doesn't have anything to do with you."

"Then what is it?"

"It's nothing you can do anything about, Nick, so _drop it_."

"I can't just drop it, Griss."

"Why not, Nick? What, do you need to be hero again?" Nick's jaw dropped slightly. His supervisor's suddenly irritated, and frustrated tone had taken him by surprise.

"I don't want to be a hero. If I did I'd have stayed a cop. I can't drop it cause I _care_. You guys are like my family, and… and I want to know what's wrong." He answered, trying to hide the hurt look he knew was plastered on his face.

"I guess we all have our dark secrets."

"Yeah, well, we don't have to keep them all to ourselves. Heh, you know something? I don't think I've ever been so relieved after I told Catherine and Warrick about my babysitter. I got the chance to see that not everyone thinks I'm a freak of nature just because I was molested. So, come on, what's the worst that could happen, Griss? Whatever it is, you can tell me. I won't hold anything against you, and who knows, maybe I can help."

"It's called Otosclerosis. I'm going deaf."

"W-why did you try to hide it? Is there anything I can do?"

"No." Grissom replied curtly. The hurt look on Nick's face eased his frustration, and he knew Nick was only trying to be a good friend. "Nick, I'm sorry-"

"Nah, it's my fault. I know you don't like to talk about your personal life, and I'm sorry I pried. I don't have the right to just try and make you open up if you don't want to. Just- I thought we were… kinda friends, and I was just worried…"

"It's alright Nick. Just- don't tell people at the lab."

"Why? Why are you keeping all this to yourself, Grissom?"

"I leave my personal problems at home Nick."

"Yeah, except this isn't just a personal problem. You _did_ bring it to work with you- everytime you walked away from me these past several months while I've tried to tell you something about a case… Do you have any idea how insignificant that made me feel? And, when I saw you paying extra close attention to what other people were saying it made things worse."

"You made an assumption Nick."

"No- I paid pretty damn close attention. I didn't once see you walk out of a room while someone else was trying to tell you something. I've already given up on trying to get you to respect me, but I thought you at least- nah, ya know what? Fine- I won't bother trying to help you. I won't waste anymore of your time. We're just colleagues."

"Nick- I didn't mean-" He was growing constantly more concerned. He had thought he had paid closer attention to the others to make sure he didn't miss anything. Apparently he had somehow slipped up with Nick more than anyone else.

"It doesn't matter Grissom. How many other people did you just let yourself ignore? Maybe you didn't mean to, but you made sure to make an extra effort with everyone else- except me. It isn't easy to constantly know everyone is better than you."

"Nick, I understand where you're coming from, but you-"

"No- you've never understood," Nick quickly cut him off, "I told you I took this job because I wanted you to think I was a good CSI. I didn't want to prove myself to you. I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't worthless. When so many people have put me down… guess I was getting desperate. Cause believe me Grissom- there's nothing I'd love more than to be able to leave my problems at home."

"I'm sorry Nick. I honestly don't know how I could let myself walk away from you so many times. I'm sorry I made you feel worthless- because you aren't. And- for what it's worth… I do consider you a friend."

"Thanks, Grissom. I guess I ought to get going." He rose to leave, somewhat lighthearted that the air had been cleared a bit more between them.

"I'm thinking of having surgery."

That got Nick to stop. He turned around to face his supervisor before speaking. "There isn't much… risk of anything going wrong is there?"

"Not really."

"It's okay to be scared. It's okay to show your emotions- besides shift is over."

He let out a short laugh, "I don't think anyone has ever really told me that it's okay to be scared. My mother would only try to comfort me, and-"

"Everyone else thought you were a chicken." Nick finished for him. "I'm not everyone else. You love your job, everyone knows that. I know you don't want to lose your hearing. The only time being scared is a bad thing is when you let the fear control your life. Besides- you can't get anywhere without facing your fears. It's why I'm here talking to you."

"Thanks Nick." Grissom took a deep breath and sat back in his chair. Thinking of everything Nick had gone through, everything he had done to try and move on was quickly strengthening his resolve to go through with the surgery. "I'm going to go through with it. I have an appointment today in about two hours."

"Good. I won't be there before you go in for the surgery- I have to visit a close friend-"

Grissom took Nick's pause to try and learn something more about the man. "Who?"

Nick couldn't help but feel a bit nervous now, "Uh… it's Kristy- Kristy Hopkins. I- I'll see you when you wake up." He quickly retreated from the office, and made his way to his truck. He definitely wanted to visit her after all that had just happened between Grissom and himself. At least he felt that things weren't nearly as dismal as he had feared. It had only been Grissom's hearing that had caused him to walk away. It hadn't been him.

* * *

Grissom sat back for a moment contemplating everything that had just happened. Even as he made his way out to the parking lot he was thinking about the things Nick had said. It didn't surprise him that he hadn't understood much about Nick. People were complex, they were puzzles where the pieces only fit if you could see the whole picture. The problem was that no one would ever see the whole picture of another human being.

Some people had the ability to put pieces together correctly. Catherine had a knack for being able to put pieces together by her experiences. Warrick could use his friendship and work with the person to put the puzzle together. Nick could use his heart.

Even as he walked away from Catherine he was still thinking about everything that had happened between Nick and himself. The talks, the fights, times when he seemed to do something right, followed by the times he knew he had screwed up. Just before everything went black from the anesthesia he promised himself that sometime he would let Nick know that he really was proud of him, and that he always had been.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Season 3 is now officially done. I already have 'Assume Nothing' finished, and I'll post it in a few days, maybe a bit sooner. I'm starting on 'All For Our Country' already. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you take a bit of time to review. 


	20. Assume Nothing

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

Nick let out a heavy sigh as he sat down on the bench in the locker room. He stared blankly at his open locker, not exactly sure what he was doing. His teeth dug into his lip when he felt the tears build up again, and he let his shoulders slump as his head fell shifting his gaze down to the floor.

"Hey." Warrick spoke, hesitantly, and he swore silently to himself when Nick didn't even acknowledge him. With a sigh he sat down next to Nick and opened his own locker, tossing in a few items.

"I- I'm thinking of transferring to another place- maybe even turning in my resignation."

Warrick froze, shocked by what Nick had just told him. After several moments of staring blankly at his best friend he managed to speak. "W-why, man?"

"Th-they died, because of _me_. It was my fault, because I made a stupid mistake. To make it even worse Grissom will hardly talk to me, let alone _look_ at me. I've lost every little shred of respect he _might've_ had for me right out the window. The entire lab already knows it was my fault, everyone knows. This makes four."

Warrick forced his mouth to close, but the sad, strained voice was making it harder for him to bear. "Four what?"

"Four people have _died_ because of me, Warrick. Who knows how many kids got hurt… all because I'm a complete idiot. I keep- screwing up. It doesn't matter how hard I try to do things right… I just screw everything up."

"Nick, _no_ one has died because of you, and no one got hurt because of you either. Nigel Crane killed Jane Galloway, and Morris Pearson, you didn't. You didn't kill the Laggermans- I don't like saying it, but they would've died anyway. You just changed the _where- _the location. And no kids got hurt just because you didn't report something when you were _only_ nine years old. You shouldn't have had to deal with that, Nick, no kid should. You had every right not to tell anyone what happened. Your babysitter was the one who hurt you, and who _might_ have hurt another little boy."

"But they did it _because_ of me. Jane Galloway died _because_ he decided to move on to me. Pearson died _because_ he was trying to help me. Those kids got hurt _because_ _I_ was too scared to tell anyone. And now these two have died _because_ I couldn't keep my stupid mouth shut." Nick could feel his strength giving out, tears threatening to fall.

"I know you feel guilty now, and I know it feels like everything is falling apart, but it doesn't have to. It's a terrible burden, knowing someone died because of you, I still feel guilty about Holly Gribbs."

"How do you live with it?"

"I just do. We can't change the past, so I just try my best to live so I don't have any more regrets than I already do. You have to let this go- like I said you had nothing to do with those people's death. We both know that they were the target anyway, it just changed location. You have to stop blaming yourself."

"I guess- I mean I know you're right, but- I guess I've just always made myself believe things were my fault."

"Maybe you just don't want other people to feel guilty when they don't deserve to."

Nick looked at him sadly, not trusting his voice to answer. When he felt Warrick's arm wrap around his shoulders he offered a sad smile that made his friend's heart sink.

"Listen Nick, I want to try it. I see you take on so much for so many people- let me return the favor. Let me carry your burdens- let me help you."

"I can't. It's too much. That's why I have to go- that's why I can't stay in Vegas anymore. You can't help me, Warrick- no one can."

"Let me try-"

"Stop. You _can't_ help me." Nick interjected quickly with a sad shake of his head. "I have to leave."

"Where will you go?"

"I… I was thinking Chicago, maybe New York. I have a friend who owns a large chain of toy stores. He offered me a job when I graduated to go design toys for him. It was an open ended invitation- I… I've already designed some stuff for his company. And- if I screw something up there… at least I'll know no one will get hurt."

"Jesus, Nicky- man…" Warrick tried to think of anything to say, but words wouldn't come. Instead he pulled Nick into a hug. "Please don't go. We need you here- _I need you_… you're the best friend I've ever had. Please- stay… hell, I'll even _beg_."

"Warrick- don't." Nick paused, his eyes looking almost everywhere except at Warrick. "I have to do this. _I have to leave_."

"_Why_? I know you think you've made all types of mistakes- that no one respects you, but you're wrong, man. You're dead wrong. No one is perfect. Everyone in this lab respects you. You don't have to go."

"I don't know what to do anymore. I feel like everything is falling apart."

* * *

"You need to give him a break."

"Hello to you too, Catherine." He simply responded, motioning for her to close the door and sit down.

"Gil- you have no idea what you're doing, do you?" Her voice meant no nonsense, but he still wasn't sure what, or rather _who_ she was talking about.

"What am I doing wrong?" He asked, trying to get her to reveal her own hand before he made a fool of himself.

"You have no idea how much you're tormenting him do you?"

"What are you talking about? Tormenting _who_, Catherine?"

"Nick! He's tearing himself apart over this, Gil. You won't even talk to him about it- you're just letting him punish himself. And Nick's gotten too damn good at punishing himself. I- I overheard him talking to Warrick… he thinks they died because of him- he's actually thinking of _quitting_. And it hasn't helped that you've been staying away from him… You haven't even looked him in the eyes yet have you?"

"I… I had-"

"Yeah, you had no clue. I figured as much. Here's a hint though, Gil- _get_ a clue." She interrupted angrily. While she considered Grissom to be her friend, he hadn't been the one who had helped her and Lindsay so much. Nick and Warrick had been willing to give anything to help her, and the memory of Nick's huge smile that he had donned naturally so often recently was enough to make her pissed at the thought of losing that smile. "Nick's lived most of his life blaming himself for things that go wrong. The only time he's ever felt normal was before he was nine years old… and maybe a handful of other times since then. You were pretty livid about Kristy Hopkins- but did you know that she was the _first_ woman he had ever been with that didn't kick him out of bed in the morning because he had a nightmare? She helped him feel like he was actually a human being- not some freak. All you've really done for him is confuse him- make him feel guilty as hell… that has to change, Gil."

"I do my job."

"So does Nick. Sure- he told an old friend some details about the case, but did you _ever_ stop to think that it was because he has to find approval- _respect_- from _someone_? How much do you want to bet that if you'd let him know how much you respect him- if you _showed_ him that you respect him- that this never would've happened?"

"Catherine- you know I can't-"

"Gil- you _can_. You just don't let yourself. I know you keep your emotions to yourself- I know you keep them out of the lab, but even _you_ can't _always_ keep them out. I see how mad you get when a child is abused- I see your annoyance with people we meet on the job because they don't respect people with disabilities. I saw how scared you were when you realized Nigel Crane had been in Nick's home. Let him know that _you_ need him, not that the lab needs him. Just let him know that you still respect him, even though he made a mistake."

"I'll try."

* * *

"Nothing is falling apart, man. Everything is going to be ok- you'll see." Warrick tried his best to console Nick. The happy, easy going Nick he had gotten to know so well over the past year was suddenly gone. All trace of the wide, honest smile was gone. There wasn't the slightest glimmer in his eyes. He wanted Nick to be happy again, he wanted his friend to be able to laugh, and to be able to smile.

"It's never going to stop Warrick. I want it to go away- it just won't… I _have_ to quit…"

"Nick- _please_, give Grissom a chance. Talk to him, just… _please_ don't quit. At least not yet."

The pleading in Warrick's eyes made Nick drop his head. To his knowledge Warrick had never begged for anything before; the fact that his best friend was begging for him to stay went straight to his heart. "O-okay… I'll give this a chance, Warrick- for you, for our friendship."

Warrick couldn't help but feel relief course through him. Without a word he hugged Nick, and felt himself shaking. He wasn't sure if he could stand to lose his own brother at all, let alone over a simple mistake. A mistake that under different circumstances would have been a stick thrown at Nick that had bruised him. Instead Grissom had managed to turn that stick into a spear that had pierced right into Nick's heart. He swore that no matter what he would find a way to have Nick stay while making sure it didn't bring him more pain.

He had to go to Grissom. There was no way in hell that Warrick was going to let Nick fall apart.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: All for our Country is next, and will be up pretty soon. After that I'm not too sure what episode will be next. Thanks for the reviews on past chapters, and hope you liked and review for this one as well. 


	21. All for our Country

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey, Grissom, can we talk for a sec?" Warrick asked, his voice hushed.

"Yeah." He stopped in the hall, and they made their way into his office where Warrick promptly shut the door. Grissom sat back in his chair behind his desk, "What do you need to talk about?"

"Nick. Listen Grissom- you've got to know how hard he's taking this-"

"He gave out information that nearly ruined all our chances of solving this case."

"Yeah, he also found the key piece of evidence that led us to the Klinefelds. Just… not in time to save their lives."

"He still made a mistake, Warrick."

"Then punish him damn it! Just don't do this!" Warrick shot back, trying to keep his exasperated voice down. "You're letting him tear himself apart, and you of all people ought to know how _good _he is at doing just that!"

"Warrick, you need to calm down-"

As soon as he saw the look on Warrick's face change from worried to furious he knew he had said the wrong thing. "_Calm down_! You've gotta be kidding- you _idiot_! How in the hell am I supposed to be calm when just over eight hours ago Nick told me he was falling apart? That he was going to quit? All I know is that you had _better_ fix this. You're going to talk to him, and I swear- you hurt him anymore than you already have and you'll have me and Catherine to answer to, especially me. I _won't_ lose my best friend because of you."

"After shift." Was all he managed to say before the door closed.

Grissom found himself sitting alone in his office. Warrick was beyond angry. He took a deep breath and tried to come up with something he could say to make things right with Nick.

* * *

Shift was over. They were sitting in the locker room nervously. Warrick had told Nick that Grissom was going to talk to him after shift. Both were nervous, and they sat in silence. Warrick was worried that Grissom wouldn't manage to make things better. Nick was skeptical that anything would be enough. The fact that Grissom had hardly bothered talking to him for the past shift, or look at him, made him feel even more guilty.

The sound of Grissom clearing his throat got both of them to look up. Nick quickly wiped at his eyes before he stood. "Nick- can we talk… in my office?"

"Y-yeah. Sure, boss." He tried his best to cover his shaky voice. It was a hard effort, and he didn't trust himself to try and say anything more without his voice cracking. Just when he knew Nick couldn't see him, Warrick shot a glare towards Grissom, clearly warning him not to hurt Nick any more. And then they were gone; leaving Warrick alone to contemplate the thought that Nick might actually leave Vegas. The thought of never seeing Nick again scared him, and it was something he was determined to stop. He just didn't know how.

"Go ahead and sit down Nick." Nick noticed that Grissom was still only shooting glances up at him. Grissom's eyes were watching his that were folded coolly on the table instead. Nick pulled his own hands out of his pant pockets and sat down. He knew it was too much, and decided that it had to stop.

"Listen- Grissom… why don't I just save you the trouble- I quit. I'll fill out the forms, and if you _really_ need me here… then I'll stay for another two weeks."

"Why do you want to quit Nick?" Grissom asked while he gave Nick another furtive glance before they returned to his hands..

"I'm a liability. I mean- I'm constantly screwing up the lab's reputation. I mean I slept with Kristy, I've had guns pulled on me twice, I practically screwed up the case with that actor… List goes on and on. Do you have any idea what it's like to know that you're responsible for someone's death? All I do is make things _worse_- this job was never meant for someone like me. I know that now, and if I hadn't been so stupid I could've saved us all a lot of wasted time."

"What do you mean,_ someone like you_, Nick?" He couldn't hide the incredulity in his voice.

"Yeah- like you don't know, Grissom? God, you're the only one who tries to get me to see it. I guess I just didn't want to believe it."

"Nick- believe what?"

"I- I'm a complete failure. I'm just another victim that couldn't pick up the pieces, who couldn't move on, who couldn't keep living. Doesn't matter what it is- I always screw it up. I guess I should actually be thanking you for trying to be nice about it… just wish I hadn't been so-"

"Is that what you _really_ think, Nick?" Grissom sighed. He knew Nick could be tough on himself, but this was downright brutal.

"It's what I know." Nick answered quietly, avoiding eye contact with Grissom. "I mean- at first I was angry that you wouldn't look at me, or really talk to me. Then I realized that I can hardly look at myself in a mirror without getting sick. I've already wasted enough of your time. You have other things to do- important things."

"You are important, Nick. For what it's worth… I'm sorry. You made a mistake on this case, but I have _never_ been ashamed of you. And I've _never_ regretted having you on my team. You're a good CSI, Nick. You're a good man too- and if anyone should be able to look themselves in the mirror it should be you." He paused for a moment, hoping the words would hit home. "I'm proud of you. Listen to your _heart_, and you'll hear the truth."

Nick didn't know what to say. Turmoil didn't do justice to the jumble of thoughts and emotions that were running through him. He had been expecting Grissom to be angry, not confused. He had been so sure that he was a failure, that he wasn't worth anyone's time or respect. Then Grissom had actually told him that he was proud of him. Four words that he had longed to hear for so long had finally been spoken.

Except the clouds didn't part. The sun didn't shine through. If anything the clouds seemed to thicken, and he felt like he was suffocating. Nothing was making the slightest bit of sense. The mere fact that Grissom had complimented him had thrown him for a loop, and he wasn't quite sure if he had held on.

Grissom could see the conflicting emotions waging war within Nick. His face bore a look of disbelief, confusion, and sadness. At that moment he realized just how much he missed seeing Nick smile. He realized how badly he wanted to hear Nick laugh. He remembered how much it hurt to see him on the verge of tears that were forced to remain within his eyes.

Before he could say anything Nick had fled. Grissom didn't even have the chance to follow him. Nick was literally running all out down the hall. People rushed to get out of his way, and seconds later there wasn't a single shred of evidence that would suggest he had ever been in Grissom's office.

* * *

Nick didn't know how he managed to get into his truck. He didn't know how he managed to get the key in the ignition when his hands were shaking so violently. He didn't know how he managed to drive through the crowded streets, or how he parked in the lines of the small lot without getting in an accident. He didn't know how he had made it across the soft green grass.

When his knees finally hit the ground he put his face into his hands and let go. Tears fell, they quickly trailed along his face. Then the sobs started. His entire body shook. Emotions flooded through him, and his mind was racing faster than he could bear. And he screamed.

It was a full hour before his red, puffy eyes glanced up to the polished stone. Tears were still falling steadily and he let out another sob before he managed to speak. "I'm so sorry Kristy," he let out a shaky breath before continuing, his voice still weak, "I need you so much. I'm so lost right now. You made everything feel so right- even if it was just for one night. I'll always love you, Kristy. Always. I- I don't know if you can even hear me right now, but it's true. I wish you were here right now. I wish you could tell me that everything was going to be okay, that you were here to hold me close. I wish I could tell you how much I love you."

"I think you just did, Buddy." Warrick waited until Nick's eyes slowly met his own before he went on. "How many people have you helped over the years Nick? How many victim's, and families have you been there for?"

"I- I don't know…" Nick whispered.

"Of course you don't know- because there's too _many_ to count. You've brought so many people justice, and comfort… you've helped so many people."

"L-like who?"

"For starters- me. Then there's Catherine, Lindsey, and we all know you've helped Greg and Sara. You've helped victims, you've helped families. But- maybe the most important person you ever helped was Kristy."

"What?" Nick was more than confused by the last statement.

"I'm serious, man. You've told me about her, the night you were with her before she died. You told me she didn't have anyone else, but, Nick- _she_ _had_ _you_. I know how much your friendship has meant to me, I can only imagine how much your _love_ meant to _her_. You gave her love Nick- it's the greatest gift there is."

Nick was still crying. But, in spite of the softer sobs he still managed a weak smile. He wasn't suffocating anymore, he wasn't feeling the war of battling emotions and thoughts stirring inside him.

"_Listen to your heart, and you'll hear the truth."_

"I want to let it go." When he looked from the grave back up to Warrick and saw the soft smile he went on, "I- I don't want to feel all the guilt… the pain anymore. I don't think Kristy would want me to live with it either."

"I don't think she would either."

Nick slowly stood, and wiped his eyes. He took a deep, steadying breath and moved to stand by Warrick. In an instant their arms were pulling each other into a hug. One of many hugs that had always been able to help. "I'm gonna fly, Warrick."

"Good." They paused for a moment before Nick pulled away and started walking slowly back to their vehicles. Warrick was right next to him the whole way.

As if reading Warrick's mind Nick spoke, "I'm not gonna run away, Warrick. I- I'm gonna stick with it, stay here."

The surge of relief in Warrick's heart and mind was obvious to both of them. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Thank you Nick. Thank you so much. You just helped me more than you'll ever know."

Nick smiled again, not fully, but it was still there, still visible. A sign of hope that Warrick so desperately needed to see.

"That's what friends are for, Warrick."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Not sure what the next chapter will be, but 'Feeling the Heat' and 'Invisible Evidence' will be coming up soon. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and take time to review. Thanks for all the reviews so far, they're keeping me more focused. Hopefully I'll be able to update soon. 


	22. Homebodies

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"You know, Nick… it just makes me sick what people can do to each other."

"I know man. I know." Was all he could really think to say. He wanted to help Warrick get past the disturbing case, but he hadn't even got past it himself. His eyes still replayed the sight of the parents of that poor girl as they listened to her being raped. The bloodied scratches on the door would probably haunt him for a few more weeks. Unless they had an even more disturbing case to replace it.

That was something he really didn't want.

"At least Grissom and Sara said they've got enough evidence to put the bastard away for life." Nick offered solemnly. He got a grim, bitter smile from Warrick.

"Yeah. Just can't let it get to us, I guess."

"Nah, Warrick- the more you fight it… the worse it gets. Can't exactly control what gets to you or what affects you. If you could nothing would bother anyone, and people would be a hell of a lot happier. Just gotta accept it, I guess." Nick gave Warrick a sad smile. The other man would never know how much Nick wanted to be able to let things go at times. "Are you ever jealous of Grissom?" The words were out before he had time to stop them.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Warrick spoke slowly, obviously caught off guard.

Nick gave an embarrassed smile before speaking, "I mean- like his ability to just focus on the case. Ya know, how he doesn't get emotionally attached."

"Maybe, at times, but I know I don't want to be like that."

"I don't think I'd mind it-"

"Yes you would." Warrick cut him off, and the conviction in his statement made Nick stop.

"Why do you say that?"

"I know you Nick. I know how you would really feel if you couldn't feel empathy for the victims and their families. It would tear you apart it would-"

"In case you haven't noticed being _able_ to is tearing me apart."

"Yeah, but at least you can live with yourself this way. Honestly- would you _really_ want to give up your empathy, would you _really_ want to be so emotionally detached that people thought of you as something more along the lines of a robot than a human being?"

"It wouldn't hurt so much that way. I mean it hurts- so much… when we can't help, when we can't solve a case… If you're not attached… it _can't_ hurt as much."

"It _can_ hurt as much, and I _know_ it would hurt you, Nick. I mean, your empathy, your feelings let you connect with people are a major part of why we've solved so many cases. You have an ability to see the good in things- in people. Not many other CSIs can say the same. And- I _know_ you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you didn't care about the victims. You wouldn't have been able to live with yourself if you hadn't been able to care about Kristy, about Jane Galloway, the Laggermans, about that poor boy in that rebirthing case… You tell me you don't want to care about them, and I'll _know_ that you're lying."

Nick fell silent. Warrick was right. Though he had problems facing himself in the mirror each morning, he knew it was nothing compared to how hard it would be if he didn't care about the victims. They were the reason he was a CSI. They were the reason he kept going, no matter how much his body or mind wanted to shut down.

"Doesn't mean I can't wish for it."

"We both know you don't want to lose it Nick. If you did… you would have by now."

"Why wouldn't I want to lose it?" Nick shot back.

"You want your life to have meaning. Life doesn't have meaning if you don't care about people. The way you love Kristy, the way you let your heart help all those people… it does more for them than solving their case. I mean, sure Grissom is a great CSI, but honestly… what meaning does his _life_ really have? A person's life shouldn't be about their job, their career. It should be about people. When we meet people on the job- they aren't going to remember the cold scientist who just solved the case. They're going to remember the person that cared, the person that not only gave the victim justice, but who also helped them. And that means something to you. Just like it means something to them, even if they can't get the justice."

Nick couldn't even get his jaw to move up. After rough cases he never really looked at his empathy in a good light. The fact that even if he failed to solve a case the victims could still find comfort in the fact that he cared. He had always figured that the people in such cases would only care about his empathy if justice was served.

Warrick spoke again before Nick could try to contradict him. "The fact that you care… it means a lot to the people we fight for Nick. I know I'd rather have you investigate a case if I was the victim than any of the others. All because you'd genuinely give a damn about it. It wouldn't be just another case to you. Even if you didn't solve it… at least I'd know you cared."

Their eyes met, and Nick had no doubt in the sincerity of what Warrick had just told him. Everyone had always been wary of his empathy, the rest of the team always focused on how it could hurt him, how it could make him burn out. Only Warrick had ever bothered to actually find a good side to his empathy. It was the main reason he had stayed in Vegas so long; Warrick always did his best to make things right. Deep down he knew everything his best friend had said was right. Nick knew that no matter what, he would always care. Because there was always the chance that it could make a difference. It was something he would never want to lose; something he'd never wish away.

"Thanks man, that… that really means a lot."

"It's the truth. I figured you needed to hear it- doesn't seem like you hear it enough. You're one hell of a CSI, Nick. Remember that, okay?"

"Thanks Warrick, and I will." Nick smiled gratefully at Warrick. "The same goes for you too."

Warrick let out a chuckle. _Leave it to Nick to make sure No one cheers him up without getting them cheered up in return. It'd probably kill him to accept a compliment and not give one right back. Damn, I don't know how you do it, but I'm glad you've made it this far. I promise I'll make sure smiling becomes a habit for you. Thank God you didn't quit…_

"Alright- enough of all this light hearted talking, time to go get serious, and play some major, one on one basketball."

"Or we could get Greg and one of the other Lab Techs to go up against us…"

Warrick smiled. "Yeah, except no one would be dumb enough to go up against the dream team."

"Nah- we just gotta tell em we'll be on different teams- then we blindside em. They won't see it coming." Nick grinned, and Warrick let out a laugh.

"You're one sneaky guy- how do I know _I_ can trust that you're not setting _me_ up?"

"Cause you're my brother." Nick flashed him another smile, and Warrick grinned.

"Alright man, let's do it."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: This took a while to write, and I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to have happen in this chapter. Next episode will be 'Feeling the Heat' and after that is 'Invisible Evidence'. Thanks for the reviews, and hope you take the time to share your ideas and thoughts on this chapter as well. I'll post chapter two for 'What a Beautiful Mess' (sequel to 'Crimson Puddles') soon.

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	23. Feeling the Heat

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey."

"What are you doing?" Sara immediately shot at him.

"What do you mean?"

Sara could tell he was confused. She knew that Nick wouldn't take what she had to say well, but at the moment it didn't matter. "What did you tell him? His son died a hero?"

"Look, I'm just trying to give the guy a little peace, you know?" Nick answered, forcing himself not to get angry. It was getting harder, and he couldn't help but feel irritated that Sara wouldn't even allow the possibility that someone could try to help another person to enter her mind.

"Oh, well, who are you trying to help feel better, him or you?" She knew she had hit a sensitive spot with Nick, and the hurt look on his face was erased so quickly that she wouldn't have caught it if she hadn't been watching for it.

"Hey, let me ask you something, Sara: You're Mr. Young, would you rather know this much or nothing at all?" He was trying to be calm, and was attempting to add as much logic to his actions as possible.

"You know, if the evidence doesn't support the answer, a CSI shouldn't be asking that question."

"Well, okay, if that works for you."

"Be careful."

Nick wasn't sure if it was a warning or a threat, but he did know that the conversation was over. His head was already spinning, and her words had stung badly. Though he knew Sara could get involved with certain cases, he also knew that she could be as hard and cold as a rock. It was something he wished he could do. After all, it only seemed to end up making him feel worse, and it almost always set him up for making what he would see as another serious mistake.

He found himself replaying the words Warrick had granted him just a week ago. Words that had offered him so much comfort.

"_It's the truth. I figured you needed to hear it- doesn't seem like you hear it enough."_

Though his view of the case may have been a long shot he couldn't help but believe it. Nick wasn't one hundred percent positive that he had told the father the truth, but he was sure that the guy wouldn't have thrown the girl off to kill her, only to jump in himself. He had deliberately avoided her question, afraid of what the answer might be. The truth was that, he didn't know if he had held on to the theory that he died trying to save her to assure himself there were still good people in the world, or if he had solely done it to give the father the peace of mind that would come from knowing his son died trying to help another person.

It was that question that made him quickly punch out and practically flee to his waiting car. It was that question that he found himself trying to make go away as he downed another beer. He knew Warrick was right, he would never want to lose his empathy. Only, that didn't mean it still couldn't hurt. The thought that he had just given Grissom another example to show he wasn't fit to be a CSI left him angry with himself.

Nick didn't forget that Grissom had told him he was proud of him, but he did remember that he had threatened to quit. It was just another of his fears that Grissom had only said it to help convince him stay.

"Hey, Nick." It was an extremely upbeat greeting from Warrick. Especially when Nick was feeling so confused and somber.

"Hey."

Warrick instantly knew something was up from the slight slur of Nick's accent. Though he had no way to really know how many beers Nick had already had, he knew that the Texan would only try to get drunk if something was seriously wrong. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know." Both knew he was trying to dodge the subject. And they both knew that Warrick wasn't going to give up that easily.

"You can tell me anything, buddy."

"I'm not sure I can keep this up,Warrick. It just gets harder…"

"You're thinking about quitting again, aren't you."

It wasn't a question, and Nick knew it. "Yeah. Just- _nothing_ has changed, man, everything is exactly the same. Maybe I don't feel as guilty anymore, but it's still there. I mean I can't even ask about cases I'm not on anymore. At least not without people being suspicious and thinking I'll go straight to the press."

While he knew Nick was being honest, he also couldn't help but feel that Nick was leaving something out. "It'll pass Nick, people are gonna trust you again. You gotta let it go, and then you'll be able to see that this is probably just in your head. And you know that, which is why I want to know what's _really_ wrong- I want to know why you're actually reconsidering quitting."

"I- just… How can I work in a place where we always have to believe that no one can do a good thing? I- I can't do that. There are good people out there, I- I know that." Nick wasn't sure if he was trying to convince himself or Warrick.

"Of course there are good people out there…"

"Our case- the one Sara and I were working. A girl drowned after jumping off a pretty high ledge. The guy had to have jumped in after. He dove down so deep that his eardrums burst… he drowned too." Nick sighed before he started to speak again, "If he wasn't trying to save her… there wouldn't have been any reason for him to dive that far down. And why would _he_ have jumped when he must've noticed she hadn't resurfaced? Maybe I'm wrong, and was just being an idiot, but I don't think that I'm wrong."

"Let me guess- Sara said you were jumping to conclusions."

"Pretty much. I- I told the father… that his son died trying to save her. She heard- and we… I guess it wasn't really a fight. I told her to look at it from the father's perspective, asked if it was better than knowing nothing, but- she told me that if the evidence didn't support the answer a CSI shouldn't ask the question."

"Sara isn't all-knowing Nick. Ya know- she isn't always right."

"Except a CSI _wouldn't_ ask that question. Which made me wonder if this is where I belong. I _did_ ask that question, and I'd ask it again. Listen- I just can't do my job if it means I can't believe there are actually good people out there… What's worse is that… when Sara asked if I was doing it for the father or for myself… I didn't have an answer. Now I can't help but wonder if I'm just skewing everything out of proportion. Maybe the son didn't try to save her, maybe I just wanted to prove to myself that there were still good people."

"Of course there are good people out there…"

"I shouldn't have to try and prove it to myself though."

"Nick- we deal with people on the worst days of their lives. We don't _have_ to stop believing that there really are good people. Just- people like Sara… they see so many bad people, they see so many people get hurt, that they just can't let themselves accept that there are people out there who can care, love, and actually help other people."

"Sara could accept it- if there was concrete-"

"Concrete evidence… right, Nick- she could. Doesn't mean everyone can though. Sara doesn't want to get hurt, so she tries to believe the worst- no disappointment there. You're not like that Nick. You're probably one of the few CSIs in the world that's an optimist. It's part of the reason why you're a great CSI. Part of why you're my best friend, and an all around good guy."

Nick looked up at him and smiled warmly. "You're still an optimist- right?"

"Yeah, thanks to you." Warrick returned the smile, and gave Nick a slight pat on his back.

"Thanks Warrick, it means a lot." Nick let out a quiet chuckle, and they both stood. Warrick led Nick to his own car, and helped Nick climb into the passenger seat.

"It's what friends are for, Nick. You'll always be my friend- and I'll always be here for you."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Next chapter is 'Invisible Evidence'. It's almost finished, so the more reviews, the faster it gets posted. Thanks for all the reviews so far, they mean a lot. Hope enjoyed this chapter, as well as the last one. 


	24. Invisible Evidence

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

Warrick waited tentatively at Nick's front door, hoping his friend would give him a chance. When the door did finally open he quickly took in Nick's haggard appearance, and he immediately recognized the slightest sent of alcohol. He barely placed his foot in the door when Nick tried to slam it in his face. "Nick- please… just hear me out. Can we just talk about this?"

There was a slight pause, and they both stood in silence before Nick swore several curses under his breath and swung the door back open. He didn't waste any time before he started his verbal assault on the man he had always thought was his best friend.

"You know, Warrick, at first I was pissed off, but then I was sad." Nick glared at him, "Do you really think I _want_ to be able to sympathize with the victims in our cases? Because I _don't_. There is _nothing_ I'd want more than to be able to go back and change the fact that I've almost been killed three times, that I was _molested_! I _wish_ I couldn't feel any empathy for that girl, but I _can_. You have no _idea_ how hard it is, and I wasn't even… raped. _You have no idea_, Warrick, and the way you acted today… it made me sick."

That stopped Warrick dead in his tracks. It had only been a few days ago when he had admitted he'd never want to lose his empathy. "I… Jesus, Nicky, I just wasn't thinking, it was a hard-"

"No, you _weren't_ thinking, Warrick. You think that shift was _hard_? Do know how hard it is for me to see those victims in the morgue? Do you know how hard it is for me to look at some little boy who was molested, when I have to deal with the fact that I let the woman who did that to me go? Whenever I see their faces I have to wonder; how many _other_ boys did she hurt like she hurt me? How many lives were ruined? And what about Jane Galloway? She died because Crane was obsessed with _me_! That girl, and her family went through _hell_, Warrick, I know, because I've been there! So, don't you _ever_ tell me that that was hard for _you_."

Warrick was stunned by the fury of Nick's yelling, but he knew that he deserved the man's anger. He watched Nick's breathing grow more rapid, as he just barely managed to fight back the tears. "Nick, I…"

"Don't even start, Warrick. You hurt a lot of people today, sure you ended up getting the right guy, but what was the cost? I just don't understand how you could act like that… after _everything_ I've told you about myself. That woman lost her sister. She needed comfort, the same comfort I spent decades longing for, but knowing I'd never get. You- _you_ gave me that comfort. You helped me through so much… but then you- you treated her like she was a waste of time. You made her feel like she was worthless. I spent _years_ feeling worthless, feeling like I wasn't _worth_ anyone's time, and no matter how much physical pain someone causes me- it'll _never_ be as painful as that felt."

"You're right, Nick. I had no right to act the way I did, even with the stress, and the lack of sleep. But you are wrong about one thing; I cared. I was short with her because I wanted to get back to the evidence, because I wanted to catch the bastard that killed her."

"The ends don't justify the means." Nick shot back. He knew he was letting his anger control him, but at that moment it was just too much.

"Nick-" Warrick paused, not sure of what to say. "I was angry man- I'm sorry."

Nick shook his head, and looked down. "That's when people are really honest. You let yourself express how you feel with words, and you don't stop to think."

This was beginning to fall into familiar territory that Warrick thought Nick had gotten past. He wanted to ram his head into the wall for doing this to the man he called his own brother. "No man, you-"

"Stop- just… God- it hurts so much. I still feel her hands- see her eyes- and it hurts. I- I know I can't keep others from getting hurt, but I have to try and help them. And, I'm not asking you to understand, because you can't. You know- you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat other people. Seeing you blow her off… it made me wonder if you would ever do that to me. And I know you meant what you said."

"Nick…"

"You do _judge_ me- don't you?" Nick replied, cutting Warrick off.

The cold, angry tone was one that Warrick had hoped would never be directed at him. And he knew, that, while the words had been phrased as a question, Nick had no doubt of the answer. Except that Nick was wrong. "No- I _don't_. And you're wrong Nick. People _lie_ when they're angry. They say things with the intent to hurt others- just like I said those things to hurt you. I didn't mean to, and I regret losing myself like that. I was a complete jackass… I just want you to know how sorry I am, and I wanted you to know that I didn't mean what I said. I was wrong."

Nick looked away, his lips trembling as he tried to answer him. Only the words just wouldn't come. He wanted nothing more than to accept Warrick's apology, and to leave the past shift as nothing more than a distant memory. Only the words still hurt. The conclusions he had been left with when Warrick had left him in the break room still made it hard for him to even breathe.

Even the thought that Warrick might have judged him made him feel sick to his stomach, though he would never tell the other CSI that he had actually thrown up. "I bared my soul to you. And you pretty much tell me that you've judged me. I can't forgive you for that- I _thought_ you understood, that you cared. Only now I find out that… You know something, Warrick? I never- _never_ thought I'd regret telling you about my past. Never thought I'd wish I hadn't bared my soul to you… but I do. It hurts too much. First I lost Kristy after she actually treated me like a human being... now we're losing this. I can't just… forgive you."

"Nick- you _aren't_ going to lose me. I swear I've _never_ _judged you_. Not _once_ have I ever held your past against you Nick. You gotta believe me. But- if you can't forgive me… I understand. I know I don't deserve a second chance for how much I hurt you. I really am sorry, Nick." Warrick closed his eyes to fight away the tears, and turned to go back to his car. He hadn't even fully turned around when he felt something holding him back. Before he had the chance to open his eyes he felt two powerful arms wrap around him. Warrick opened his eyes to see Nick clinging to him. He was biting his lip, and his eyes were closed. It was then that he noticed that Nick was trembling slightly, and he didn't bother trying to dislodge either arm that was pinned to his side.

"It's okay, Warrick. Please- please… just don't go."

"I won't buddy. I really am sorry, Nick. There's no excuse for what I did and said, or for the way I treated you, and that girl today."

"It's… well, it's not entirely okay, but it will be. Besides what kind of friend would I be if I didn't give you a chance?" Nick offered a slight smile, and Warrick could feel the tension start to fade. While he knew Nick would have forgiven him, he was glad that Nick had chose to do so sooner rather than later.

"Thanks man- I just… I really-"

"Warrick- stop. I understand, we've all been there. I know you care, and that you always will. Otherwise you would've freaked out when I told you about my babysitter. If you _didn't_ care… you wouldn't have let that change our friendship for the better, just like you somehow make everything work out." Nick smiled grew a bit larger, and more sincere as he spoke. He had a brief flashback to his old bedroom, staring at the door, waiting for his mom to get home. He hadn't really thought about that night for a while.

He wouldn't say he had gotten over it, but he would say that it didn't bother him so much anymore. Warrick and Catherine knew about it. It wasn't some hidden skeleton in his closet he feared the world would find. And, while Warrick's words had hurt him, they had also helped him. This would make him stronger, it would help secure the permanent friendship they were building each day. And he knew that someday it would be unbreakable. It would be unbreakable because neither one of them would ever let the other go.

Warrick watched Nick with interest. He had seen the brief haunted look flash through his eyes, but it was only for a second. Then the warm, life filled eyes he was used to returned, and he could see Nick's still tensed muscles relax even more. Nick was undoubtedly strong. While he would bare his soul to Warrick, and to Catherine as well, he rarely let his life get in the way of a case. Most importantly, Nick lived his life. He didn't let anything stop him, and he knew life went on. There would be ups and downs, and all a person could do was strap in for the ride, and hold on.

Then he caught Nick stifle a yawn, and he flashed a slight grin. "I think we're both pretty tired. I'll see ya later, bro."

"Yeah- we can do something after shift."

"Sounds good, get some sleep, alright."

"Sure thing- you too." Their knuckles met briefly before they gave in and hugged. After a few seconds Warrick stepped back, and made his way to the door while he fished his car keys out of his pocket. With a final nod and grin he left and shut the door behind him.

Nick let out another yawn before he made his way into his bedroom. The anger that had kept his adrenaline pumping was gone, and he was exhausted. Things were going to be okay. In the end they always were. Even after his babysitter he had managed to have what he considered to be a relatively happy childhood. After Kristy's death he had managed to accept the loss. After Crane he had managed to stay in the same house and not have to check the attic each and every night.

Though he didn't consider himself anywhere near normal, he did feel more comfortable in his own skin than he had in a while. A few minutes later he found himself lying in his bed. He smiled, and knew that his sleep wouldn't be plagued with nightmares. His eyes slowly closed, and he knew that everything would be all right.

In the end he'd give Warrick any number of second chances.

They were best friends, and they were brothers.

Nothing could break that bond.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. 'After the Show' is the next episode up. Hope you're enjoying this story, and I'll try to finish the next chapter soon. I'll also be posting the 3rd chapter to 'What a Beautiful Mess' as soon as I can.

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	25. After the Show

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey, Catherine- can we, uh, talk?"

"Sure, Nicky." She offered her best smile, but she couldn't help but get the first waves of irritation hit her. He wanted to talk about her taking over the case, and she wasn't in the mood to hear more complaints about how unfair it was. She had done what she thought needed to be done to solve the case, and Catherine knew that she would do it again in a heartbeat.

She sat down in the empty workstation and motioned for Nick to sit in the chair opposite her. He seemed nervous, and as soon as he sat down he started to idly twiddle his fingers.

"I thought you wanted to talk."

"I- I do…" He paused, searching for the right words, "W-why Greg?"

"He didn't have anything against me taking the case."

"Who said I never accepted it?"

"I was right there Nick, you were just as against it as Sara was." Catherine shot back.

"I wasn't against you, Catherine. If you think for one minute that I'd have handled the case differently just because you took over… then you obviously don't know me. The reason I was against it at first was because I thought we were being taken off because Grissom and _you_ didn't trust us enough with a high profile case. Then you bring in Greg- CSI wannabe, and we get it shoved right in our faces…"

"Nick- truth is- I _have _had a whole hell of a lot more high profile cases than you _and_ Sara combined-" She never got the chance to finish when Nick cut her off.

"Yeah- because you and Grissom _won't let us_. _Everyone_ has to start somewhere, and we haven't really gotten the chance to start at all! You pull us off, and then you put Greg on… you trusted a Lab Tech more than someone from your own _team_. Why don't you just flat out tell us we aren't good enough? I just don't understand. Okay, Sara… yeah, she would've been a handful you didn't need to deal with… but you _know_ I would never give you problems while working a case. I know you know that- so all I have left that even _slightly_ makes sense is that you don't think I'm good enough…"

Catherine's irritation was gone. The last thing she had wanted to do was shatter the confidence Nick had been trying to build his entire life. Confidence she had sworn she'd never rattle as often or as hard as Grissom would. Except, here they were, and his confidence was definitely not as strong or sturdy as should have been for the man who was truthfully a great CSI.

"Nick- I know that you could've handled the case… I- I also know that you wouldn't make working a case extra tough for me."

"Then _why_ did you take me off? Why didn't you give me a chance?"

A chance. Catherine swore to herself. It seemed like she really was following in Grissom's footsteps, and worse she was only making the same mistakes. Looking back she knew she had been irrational thinking Nick wouldn't have given the case his all, that he would've tried to beat her to the goal. Nick was the best of them all at working with others. She could count on one hand the amount of times he had flown off the handle. The only time it had gotten bad enough for her to bring it up she had found out he had been sexually abused as a child.

That had been one of the worst nights of her life. Not once had she ever felt so sick about learning something about another person's past. It hurt more than it would have had it been anyone else from the lab, or even anyone else she knew aside from Lindsay. Every ounce of strength had been mustered to keep her from crying. Catherine didn't even want to know what would have happened if Nick had told her all the sordid details. She didn't know if she could handle hearing what Nick had to live with. Nothing like that should ever happen to anyone, especially a child.

To make things worse, that wasn't the only hell Nick had lived through. In the end, Nick had found a way to keep going. Of course, he wasn't the Nick Stokes he would have been if life had been more kind to him. He didn't have the confidence she suspected he would have otherwise. On the other hand it was part of why she knew she could always count on him. Which was why she let out a low sigh. Catherine knew she had been foolish to think Nick would give any less than his best effort on the case.

"Because I made a mistake."

That comment caught him off guard. Nick wasn't sure of what to say, or make of that statement. After what Warrick had done he had started to get the feeling that he only thought he was close to the others on the team. Then Catherine had essentially told him she didn't trust him to work a case. Of course he had been quick to forgive Warrick. They were best friends, and Nick knew Warrick cared. It was almost like their fight had never happened. He wasn't sure what to do about Catherine.

She knew his deepest secret. She had always been there for support in the past. Nick already knew he'd let it go. In the end, he trusted her, and he hoped she trusted him back. For him that was all there was to it.

Catherine held back a sigh of relief when Nick nodded and offered a small smile.

"I guess that's that. Uh, I'm glad we had this talk…"

"Me too. And, Nick- I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's nothing. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye." Was all she could think of to say. Nick gave her a grin, and he made his way down the hall. She watched as he caught up to Warrick. The two quickly fell into their usual joking around, and Catherine couldn't help but smile. With a sigh she fell back into her seat.

It had definitely been a mistake. Nick wasn't the kind of person to hold a grudge, and he wouldn't have let her down. Of course that meant he wouldn't hold a mistake against her. That still wasn't as comforting as the laughter she heard coming from down the hall. She was glad that Nick and Warrick had each other. Everyone needed someone they could call a friend, and the two were essentially inseparable. No matter what they'd have each other's backs. Though she wasn't sure why, her gut told her that it was going to be even more important than it already was for both of them.

In the end, she pushed the thought to the back of her mind, and instead started hurrying through the paperwork so she could get home to Lindsay as soon as she could.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Sorry this took so long to update, but I had some problems writing this, just like I'm coming up with some writer's block on the next few chapters for 'What a Beautiful Mess'. Luckily, I haven't had writer's block on another story I'm working on that is coming along quite nicely. Hope this was worth the wait, and that you take the time to review!

* * *


	26. Eleven Angry Jurors

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

Warrick was sitting on Nick's couch, patiently waiting for the other man to bring the bottles of beer out to the living room. He knew the promotion had meant a lot to Nick, and he knew the man deserved it. The fact that he had been told Sara had gotten it just because of her how well she knew Grissom made things worse. Though Warrick knew that Grissom would never make a decision off such a thing it didn't help anything or anyone.

Nick, on the other hand, seemed to be handling it well. Warrick could tell he was dead set on not letting it affect his work, and that he was trying his best not to let it get to him. After a few moments of silence he started wondering what was taking his best friend so long to grab a couple of drinks.

It had been a day since he had found out that Grissom had recommended Sara. He was still angry at the fact that he had been told by a Lab Tech, and that Grissom hadn't bothered to tellhim face to face. Nick was still feeling good about the way he was handling it. The truth was that he didn't need the promotion, and the fact that he had been able to form coherent sentences to let his supervisor know as well surprised him.

Without another word he grabbed the two beers. His eyes quickly scanned the top few items in his mail that had been thrown in a heap on the counter. He froze when he saw the letter from the Crime Lab. He quickly repositioned the second bottle of beer so that he was holding both of them in his left hand while he tore the seal on the envelope with his right. After he had freed the letter and carefully laid it on the counter he started scanning the words.

Shocked would've been an understatement. Nick forced himself to go back and reread the entire thing over again. Surprise and disbelief washed over him, and in his stupor he completely forgot the two bottles in his left hand. He was well on his way through the letter for the third time when he distantly heard the glass shatter all over his kitchen floor.

The sound of glass breaking was all Warrick needed for an excuse to check on Nick. He immediately rose from his recliner, and turned to see Nick standing in the middle of his kitchen. He had the feeling that Nick was angry about the whole situation. Relief doused his worries as he noticed that the bottles had been dropped on the floor and not thrown against the nearest wall.

Except the relief was short lived, and he started to worry even more when Nick didn't move. He had never seen his friend ignore something that needed to get cleaned up. The last, and only, time he had spilled a drink on the floor, after being bumped by Sara, Nick had been there in a flash, wiping up the spilled beer, and sweeping the shards of glass up before anyone else had a chance. Now he was staring at something on his kitchen counter.

Warrick wished he could see his friend's face. His back wouldn't give away any emotions, and before he really approached his friend he wanted to know if something was seriously wrong. When he realized Nick wasn't going to move, he went to the closet and grabbed several rags. He busily set to work soaking up the large pool of amber liquid, and his worries increased when Nick didn't even look at him.

The Texan had never once allowed anyone to help him clean anything in his house. It never mattered what it was, he merely said that the visitor was a guest, and that it wasn't right to set them to work. In turn, it surprised Warrick that Nick hadn't even noticed him cleaning up a mess that was almost literally right under his nose. After he had finished soaking the rags, and clearing the floor of glass he paused and cast another glance at his best friend.

Warrick raised an eyebrow, and noted that whatever was on the paper Nick kept rereading it must've been something important. It wasn't until he had wiped the floor with a wet rag to keep it from getting sticky that he finally spoke up. "Hey- Nick, you okay there?"

"Huh? Uh- yeah…"

When Nick finally looked up Warrick couldn't hold back the chuckle. It was a rare occurrence to see Nick look as confounded as he did right then. "You sure?"

Nick just nodded before turning back to the piece of paper on his counter and reading it once more. With a sigh he sidled back over to where Nick was standing.

"Must be one hell of a good letter."

"Wh-what do ya mean?"

"Just that you've read it about a few dozen times now."

"It- it's just not possible. He already, he told me… I thought-" Nick tried to convey what the letter was about, but his mind couldn't even grasp the right words.

"Hey, uh, Buddy, if you want me to know you're gonna have to actually finish a whole sentence. Otherwise, well- you're just going crazy."

Nick shook his head, and reread the letter once more before he forced himself to take a deep breath and turned to look at Warrick.

When he saw the wide grin on his friend's face he knew that whatever the letter was about it was a good thing.

"Grissom recommended me."

He didn't have a chance to respond before he felt Nick's arms wrap around him. Warrick felt himself smiling widely as he felt Nick's body move as he laughed quietly. "Congratulations. You deserve it, Bro."

"Thanks man," Nick pulled back and Warrick smiled even wider when he saw the stunned grin on Nick's face, "Listen, I'll be back soon, and we can celebrate. I just gotta talk to him now, ya know?"

"Yeah, Nick. I know. Go ahead, I'll be waiting right here for you when you get back."

* * *

Grissom was in the middle of yet another series of reports when he heard the fish over his door start to sing. His eyes snapped up to see Nick standing just inside his door. 

"Why?" It was a simple question, and both men knew exactly what he was talking about. Grissom thought about taking back his promise, but that would mean wiping away the grin on Nick's face. He couldn't do that, and he had a promise to fulfill.

"You showed me something yesterday Nick. You gave up your hopes of getting the promotion by reinvestigating a case I closed. You thought for yourself, you told me that the case was more important than getting the new position. And you showed me that the human element is important. We _don't_ need another me around here, and I want you to remember that. You're a good CSI Nick."

"Thanks, that- that really means a lot." Nick offered a relieved smile, and his shock was starting to wear off. He had been skeptical about the promotion for a long time. It had been Warrick and Catherine's prodding to get him to build up enough courage to even apply when he had been so certain he didn't stand a chance.

Honestly, it wasn't even the promotion that mattered to him. It wasn't even that Grissom had recommended him. For one of the few times in his life he was proud of himself. He had always thought that he would need Grissom's approval to some degree, only now, that he had it, he knew that he no longer needed it. The feeling of relief and comfort it brought just by hearing his supervisor pay him numerous compliments was still beyond wonderful for him, but it was nothing compared to having his own approval of himself.

"Thanks again, Grissom. I- I'm gonna get going. I'll see ya later."

"Bye Nick."

Grissom couldn't help but smile at the retreating man's back. He knew it would be tough trying to explain his choice to Sara, but right then that wasn't important. There was no doubt in him that he had made the wrong decision. Nick didn't need his approval anymore, and Grissom doubted it would be a full nine years and thirty-four days before he'd take another member of the team out for a roller coaster ride. Catherine had been the first, then Warrick, and he knew it wouldn't be long before Nick got his chance.

Both men had learned a lot of valuable lessons that night.

* * *

True to his word Warrick was waiting diligently for him at his house. Nick smiled as Warrick handed him a beer. "Way to go man." 

"Thanks Warrick." Nick smiled as their bottles clinked together. It had been a while since he felt so lighthearted, and it was a feeling he wanted to cherish and keep as long as he could.

Nick knew, that no matter how good, or how bad things were, they'd always have each other to turn to.

After all, they were best friends.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Sorry it took so long to update, but life has been crazy. Anyway- thanks to everyone who has sent me a review, and to all of you out there who have taken the time to read this. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and as always, I look forward to reading any comments you may have. I'm not sure what episode to do next, so I'd appreciate any ideas you may have for some of the episodes that take place after this one and before 'Bloodlines'.

* * *


	27. Suckers

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"So, you've really never seen 'Home Alone' before?" Nick questioned as they made their way down the hall. Shift had ended, and he had seen her moping around in the break room.

"Really." She answered, finding herself wondering why Nick was so concerned. Except she already knew. Sara doubted anyone took friendship more seriously than Nick. He'd do anything for his friends, and that meant he'd care, and would probably stop at nothing to cheer them up. It wasn't hard to fight back the smile that he could bring to her face without even trying.

"Dang, I just figured- ya know… that everyone's pretty much seen it. Ya know, it's one of those classics."

"I'm not too big on movies, Nick."

"Too bad. Ya know, Sara… I know you don't want to hear this, and I'm not the best person to take advice from, but… make sure you get out. Don't let your life revolve around this. This is a career, not a life. Maybe you should come and have some breakfast with me and Warrick. It'd be fun- really." Nick tried, hoping amore directapproach might work.

"I think I'm just gonna go home, catch up on some sleep." Sara answered, making sure she didn't look at Nick. While she knew he was just concerned she hated the fact that even he had stepped up and tried to help her. She hated having people help her. However, at the same time, she felt immensely touched that Nick cared enough to invite her out to one of his and Warrick's rituals of grabbing a few drinks, or sometimes breakfast, and talking after shift.

"Okay, but it's an open ended invitation, you got it?" Nick asked when he realized there was no chance he'd get her to go with them. He held in the sigh, and instead gave her what he hoped was a supportive smile.

"I got it. Have fun, Nick."

Sara watched him nod, and as he left she knew he was disappointed. It didn't matter what happened to him, he would always worry about other people, he would always try and make sure they were okay. If they weren't he'd do something to try and make them feel better. He would always be Nick, and that managed to bring a smile to her face. _Maybe he was more successful than I thought…_

She sighed and headed into the locker room. After quickly grabbing a few items she paused and noticed the box on the shelf of her locker. Curiosity overwhelmed her, and she grabbed the box. A small smile played on her face when she saw the note that had been quickly scribbled on a sticky note. The scrawl was obviously Nick's handwriting, and she was surprised that she was actually anxious to open the box.

_Hey Sara,_

_Uh, I hope you don't mind that I used your key under the bench, but I had to do what I had to do. Anyhow, it isn't much, but I hope you'll promise me that you'll take it home, and not throw it away. Let yourself enjoy it, everyone should see it, and I remember it being one of my favorites, so maybe it'll make you laugh like it makes me. Let yourself have fun, and if it makes your favorites list you don't have to tell me. Take it easy…_

_Nick_

She chuckled a bit, already knowing exactly what was in the box. It only took a quick peek inside to see the tape, and she found herself smiling even more. Sara let out a sigh before closing her locker and heading out of the Crime Lab. There was no doubt in her mind that she'd put it in as soon as she got home.

* * *

"Some people are just sick you know- I mean… what kind of freak drinks _blood_?"

"I don't know, bro, but you're right. Our case was a load of 'fun' though. Casino owner tries to collect insurance on money he practically stole himself."

"Yeah, the world's full of animals." Warrick shot back, with a grim smile before returning his attention to his breakfast.

"There's still the occasional good guy."

Both heads turned to see Sara standing just behind their seats at the counter. Nick smiled warmly. "Is that so?"

"You ought to know Nick, you're one of em."

Warrick watched their exchange with amusement. It had been clear something had been on Nick's mind, and he had a feeling it hadn't had anything to do with the case they had been working. Now it was obvious that it was because of Sara. He also noticed that it had been a while since he'd seen her smiling.

"Oh really?" Nick questioned, raising his eyebrows and shooting her a grin. "Did you like the movie?"

Sara's look turned a bit more serious, "Yeah- I really did, it, uh, it made my day. Thank you, Nick. And… I _will_ try. I, uh, I promise. Now why don't you two get back to your breakfast, and I'll see you tonight."

"Why don't you join us?"

"I've got plans, with some old friends that I hadn't talked to since college. But thanks for the offer. And, Nick- you really are a great guy."

Nick immediately looked down, and smiled. "Thanks Sara." His eyes followed her as she made her way back out of the restaurant. There was something inside of him that he hadn't felt in a while. He had helped her. It was something he didn't get the chance to do very often, and while he hated to admit it, he was usually the one who needed help.

Knowing he had helped put that smile on her face was one of the best feelings he had ever felt. A feeling that became rare in a career where he dealt with death each and every day. It was for the moments like these, though, that made him keep going. Because someone would always need help, and even if he failed and hurt himself a hundred times, it would only take helping one person to make it all worth it. This time around it had been Sara.

His smile widened a bit more as he determined it would be awhile before something would ruin the good mood he was in. The curious look Warrick was giving him only made him chuckle. "Long story. Let's just say there was a movie she never saw, and I got it for her."

"Well, ya know… I _could_ be wrong, but I think she was thanking you more for being a friend."

"Yeah, come on, why don't we go play some ball."

"Sounds good," Warrick paused, shooting Nick a grin as he moved to head for the door, "So what movie was it?" He questioned as Nick placed a twenty on the counter to cover their meal.

"How bout this- you win a game of one on one- I tell you. You lose… then you get to watch the movie, and find out for yourself."

"Deal."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: This was a bit different from my other chapters, but I decided it would give a slightly different perspective on Nick, and have a bit of a lighter mood before I get into season five and six. Not sure what episode will be next, but I do know I'll be doing one for 'XX', 'No More Bets', and 'Bloodlines', but if anyone has ideas for any other season four episodes after this one, I'd be glad to hear them. Thanks for all the reviews and your comments meant a lot.

* * *


	28. XX

**Out of Harm's Way**

Warrick paused at the doorway leading into the locker room. He had thought everyone else had long since gone home. Which was why he was so surprised to see Nick sitting in the locker room. He slowly opened the door, and figured that his friend had probably just finished up on some paperwork, but the fact that his bag was ready to go, and his locker was closed told him he had been there for a while.

"Hey Nick- what are you still doing here?"

Warrick pauses, waiting for an answer, until eventually he repeats the question making his voice just a bit louder. When Nick didn't respond the second time he knew something has definitely gone wrong. He wasn't really sure of what to do, so he decided to sit down on the bench beside his friend, only when he turned back to see Nick he noticed a single tear fall from his watering eyes. "Nick- come on man, snap out of it. Nick!"

When Nick didn't respond he began to grow even more worrisome, something was wrong. He didn't even know what case his friend had been on, but something had put him in this daze. Not knowing what else to do he gently placed his hand on Nick's shoulder.

The last thing he expected was for Nick to jump off the bench, and have moved halfway across the room in what could only have been a second. His eyes took in every movement his friend made as he slowly stood and approached Nick.

It was becoming a vain struggle to get his breathing to even out. He was struggling to control the images in his head, but their eyes and their voices plagued him no matter how hard he tried to make them go away.

"Talk to me, Nick- please… just say something- _anything_."

"Th-they won't go away…"

"Who? Who won't go away?"

"It wasn't bad- I g-got all through the shift just fine… then I-I brushed against this stranger. She gave me this look, a-and I just lost it."

"It's okay, bro- what happened last night?"

"The way they looked at me, Warrick. I felt like I was nine again… we were at that woman's prison… and they wanted me-" He couldn't keep going, and Warrick quickly pulled Nick into his arms, knowing full well what they had thought about when they had seen Nick.

"You're okay though, buddy. They can't hurt you, Nick." Warrick offered while gently patting Nick's back. "Hey, my grandma is making breakfast about now- why don't you come with me?"

"I- no, I can't do that. You should have the chance to spend time with-"

"Nope- you're coming whether you like it or not. Gotta make sure you get some good old-fashioned homemade food in ya. Besides, she likes you, and I gotta say she won't mind having another mouth to feed."

Nick smiled in response, picturing his own mother slaving away in the kitchen to make enough food for everyone. When his older siblings had started going to college she had always insisted he'd invite friends over for meals. She had never learned to only cook for just a handful of people. And even if there were literally dozens of people present there were always leftovers.

Twenty minutes later he found himself seated at a small kitchen table in the old cozy house. He couldn't help but smile at the pictures he had seen of Warrick in the hall and on many of the tables and desks. Nick was honestly impressed by how much Warrick had overcome as a kid.

He had barely been able to deal with being sexually abused. Warrick had lost his parents, and Nick knew the tremendous loss that would've brought to him, even though he'd have had dozens of people willing and capable to take care of him. Warrick had only had his grandmother, but he had to admit she'd taken good care of him. His best friend had definitely turned out right.

They spent most of the morning talking, the conversation going back and forth between the three of them. Half the time Nick was amused, mostly because of Warrick's embarrassment when his grandma would launch off on stories about him.

By the time breakfast was over, he was still smiling, memories of the past shift not forgotten, but pushed to the back of his mind. As far as Nick was concerned, he'd take what he could get.

"So- a nice young man such as yourself must be seeing somebody…"

The comment was innocent enough, and Nick tried his best not to blanch. "Uh, actually it's… well- it's been a while."

Warrick wasn't sure if he was all that surprised by Nick's answer. He could still see the occasional pain in his friend's eyes. It was unique. The look that came from losing someone you dearly loved. He had seen the look far too often in his own eyes, and the pain of a broken heart never fully healed. It definitely wasn't a mystery that Nick still loved Kristy.

"How long?" Warrick asked, gently rubbing his grandmother's shoulder, hoping she'd understand that she shouldn't push Nick. It was in her instincts to draw out people's pain so that she could help ease it in any way she could, but that wasn't what Nick really needed. He just needed friends; he needed family.

"Since Kristy." Nick answered somberly. His eyes meeting Warrick's, and he was glad that he found understanding there. There wasn't disappointment there that he had yet to move on. There wasn't any ridicule or disbelief. Just an honest understanding that he had never found in anyone before.

She wasn't stupid. She had seen the loneliness in his eyes, and had acted accordingly. To push any further would have interrupted the moment between the two friends. Feelings of relief coursed through her as she watched the way they silently interacted. She had always worried about Warrick growing up. He had never had the right people for friends, and then he had met Nick. They were as close as any brothers could be, and for that she loved Nick as if he were her own grandson.

Nick's attention eventually shifted to Warrick's grandmother as she began to gather up dishes from their breakfast. "Why don't you go on- I'm sure there is something you can do around here… Warrick and I'll clean up."

"Be my guest." She stepped back with a warm smile, and slowly left the kitchen. With anyone else she would've put up a fight; told them that she was perfectly capable of washing and drying her own dishes. But her heart told her that it'd be good for both of them to just spend some more time together, even if it was doing chores.

She sat down in her soft rocking chair. The gentle curves of the wood were oddly comfortable. She hadn't been sitting down for more than five minutes when she heard a splash and a burst of laughter come from her kitchen. Not even seconds later it was followed by even more laughter.

It was a sound she had missed while Warrick was growing up. Something she had always delighted in hearing. It was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard, and so she just sat contentedly, listening to them. She was glad they had each other.

They were best friends, brothers. And she knew that they'd always be there for each other.

**To Be Continued…**

Notes: Sorry this took such a long time to post, but it took me forever to finally come up with an ending. Unless someone has a really good idea I'm going straight to 'No More Bets' after this. Hope you liked this chapter. I have a feeling Warrick's grandmother will be making a few more appearances as the story goes on. Thanks for all the reviews, and hope you take the time to send me your thoughts on this chapter.


	29. No More Bets

**Out of Harm's Way**

He didn't know how to react. In all honesty the fact that the promotion was cut didn't bother him. After all, he had just gotten the proof that Grissom was proud of him. Otherwise, he would have recommended Sara.

Then he had heard Sara talking to Grissom in the limousine. He had just been going to see if they needed help. While he understood completely why Sara wasn't very happy, he didn't understand why she didn't seem to think he deserved the promotion. Nick knew if their roles had been reversed he would have smiled, patted her on the back. It would've been a show, but it still would have been honest.

No matter what it was, Nick could always be happy for someone else. He knew if Sara had gotten the promotion he'd have felt he didn't deserve it. It probably would have made him question his abilities. But, despite all the pain it might have brought, he would have at least known that Sara deserved it, and he knew he would have been happy for her.

To make it even worse, Sara had barely even said goodbye after shift. The last thing he wanted was for their friendship to fall apart over a promotion that had been cut. It hurt to think that their friendship could mean so little that she'd let it fall apart.

It didn't take a genius to know what was bothering Nick. Warrick had already given Nick his apologies as soon as he had found out. Though it helped knowing that Nick cared more about it because it displayed Grissom's faith in his abilities. That was also why he knew the glum expression on his face had to do with something else.

It was about then that he noted how withdrawn Sara seemed to be during the shift. And the way she had barely said a word to Nick the whole shift confirmed his suspicions. _Leave it to Nick to be worried about his friends when he's just lost something he deserves to have and enjoy._ The thought brought a small smile to his face.

Except he knew that there was something he had to do, which was why he didn't enter the locker room to talk to Nick, but rather went right to the parking lot.

"Warrick? Wh-what are you doing here?"

"We need to talk." Warrick barely waited for an answer before stepping inside her apartment.

"About… what?" She questioned quickly, confusion flooding her voice.

"Nick." He answered. It was brief, and though he considered Sara a friend, he supposed there would always be something between them. Everytime he saw her it was a battle to fight back the image of Holly Gribbs. He was glad that the fight had gotten significantly easier over time. Warrick suspected it was mostly due to Nick's efforts to make sure she was accepted into their makeshift family.

"What about him?" She shot back, unable to keep her voice from getting slightly defensive. There was no doubt in her mind as to why Warrick was standing in her living room.

"He deserved that promotion, and you know it. You're _both_ good CSIs. You're also colleagues, but what _really_ matters to Nick is that you're _friends_. The fact is that Nick did something that rarely happens. The guy stood up for himself- let himself think on his own. Grissom finally gave him a chance to prove himself, and Nick did that. You know… you two are the only ones who really quote Grissom. I know you both respect him, and that you both want him to be prod of you… Nick let go of that need, and that got him the promotion. Listen, Sara… you have to start thinking for yourself too."

"I _do_ think for myself- thank you very much."

Warrick sighed and gave her a sad look. "Is that why you're willing to hurt Nick? He isn't torn up right now because of losing the promotion. He's torn up because after you gave him the cold-shoulder all last shift, he's scared that you'd let this ruin your friendship! Believe me, Sara- I've been best friends with Nick for years. Our pact is still there, and we're close. So _trust_ me when I say this- Nick cares about your friendship. I know you wanted that promotion, Sara, and you are a good CSI too, but you didn't get it. Nick had no control over who Grissom recommended, so don't take your anger out on him. He doesn't deserve it."

Sara looked away, tears building up in her eyes. His last words stung. Not because they were harsh or blunt, but because they were true. Nick didn't deserve her fury; no one did. They also hurt because by the look in Warrick's eyes she could tell that by causing Nick pain she had caused him pain as well. "I know."

It was only a whisper, but it was enough for Warrick.

"Look, Sara… you're a good person. Ya just gotta keep your heart in the right place." He put as much strength and gentle kindness as he could into his words, hoping they'd help.

"You're really lucky, Warrick… to have Nick as your best friend. I- I'll always envy the bond you two have."

"You have a part of that bond too, Sara. I took Nick for granted for years. It took having his life threatened by Amy Hendler to make me realize how much our friendship meant to me. Don't let your friendship with him die over this. It's not worth it. He's the best friend _anyone_ could ever ask for. I thank God everyday that he hasn't taken Nick's life. Without him… I wouldn't be half the man I am today."

"Thank you Warrick." Her voice was slight hardly over a whisper, but it didn't matter. Because for the first time since they had met, they hugged. He gently patted her back.

"Come on, Nick, you're coming with me. Just because the promotion was cut doesn't mean we aren't going to celebrate."

"What's the point, Catherine? It was cut, it doesn't matter. Besides I just want to go home and crash for a few hours."

"It _does_ matter. You really deserved it, and hey- it's _me_. I know you didn't really care about getting the promotion… so why don't we go out and celebrate you finally standing up to Grissom." She replied, hoping the different tactic would get Nick to go with her. Nick was truthfully getting better, his smiles were reaching his eyes like they never had before. Catherine wasn't about to let Nick lose that.

"You're not gonna stop until I give in, are you?" Nick questioned, trying his best to sound irritated, but he just couldn't stop the smile from spreading at the look of triumph on his friend's face.

"I have an obnoxious daughter. Believe me- I can go all day."

"And probably all night too." Nick added, ducking as she tried to swat his arm. "Alright, fine- you win. I'll go, but you're paying."

"Nope." Catherine answered as they made their way into the hall.

"Excuse me?" He shot back, raising an eyebrow.

"Warrick is gonna be picking up the bill. He's meeting us there."

"Hey Catherine?"

"Yeah Nicky?" She answered, turning to face him. Her concern faded when she noticed he was still smiling, but it wasn't completely alleviated when she noticed it wasn't nearly as strong as the smile she had seen in the locker room.

"Thank you." He answered, and before she had the chance to move he had pulled her into a friendly hug. "You've always been a great friend… maybe not as great as Warrick, but still great."

That elicited a soft chuckle from Catherine. "Yeah, well I've got news for you- you beat us all by a mile." She pulled back, and gave him a look clearly telling him there was no room to argue. "Let's get out of here. We've got a big breakfast waiting."

Half an hour later they were enjoying their food as they talked. Warrick had been a bit disappointed when Sara hadn't come with them. But seeing the smile on Nick's face erased any other thought he might have had. Nick was happier than he had been in a while.

That was what really mattered.

**To Be Continued…**

Notes: This chapter came pretty easily, now that I've started to get a feeling for what I want to happen. I'm almost done with this season (thank goodness) and it's nice knowing that the hardest season so far is almost out of the way. Next chapter will be 'Bloodlines' and hopefully will be up soon. I'm still working on 'What a Beautiful Mess' so I should have it updated either today or tomorrow. Thanks for the reviews, and hope you take the time to give me some feedback on this chapter.


	30. Bloodlines

**Out of Harm's Way**

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Nick watched as Sara kept on walking. They hadn't really talked, but she had tried to congratulate him for having been recommended. He knew how important the job was to Sara. He'd have been an imbecile had he not seen it.

She had put in the effort, and Nick was relieved beyond what he had even imagined due to it. It meant that they were still friends; that she wasn't going to let the stupid promotion destroy what had potential to become an even greater friendship.

Any other time, Nick would have found himself calling Warrick or even Catherine. Except he knew that Warrick was with her. He had mentioned that he was going to check on her before he headed home. The death of the poor woman had been exceptionally rough on Catherine. He wasn't about to interrupt what was probably a pointless, friendly conversation.

Sometimes it was just what people needed after an exceptionally rough shift. He knew the guilt that his friend was undoubtedly struggling from over Linley's death. There were things he could do, places he could go, but Nick just couldn't force himself to do any of it. All his old friends from college only wanted to go out drinking, and at this time they were probably all passed out somewhere.

As for his other friends at the lab they'd all be unavailable. Greg had had his own plans. And Grissom definitely wasn't an option. His family back in Texas would all be working already. There was no one. The bouts of loneliness weren't uncommon, but they hurt deeply.

So many times he felt like he was being left behind. It felt like his own life was on pause while everyone else was still going, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

But even before he had landed on his bed he knew sleep wouldn't come to him. There was always that voice of doubt in his mind. The one that made him second-guess every decision he made, the one that constantly told him he wasn't doing good enough. After a few more minutes of lying there, several memories were becoming far too close to surfacing for his liking. With a loud sigh he pulled himself up off his bed, and headed for his bathroom.

In less than a minute he was back at his bed putting his bottle of sleeping pills on the nightstand along with a glass of water. It wasn't long before his eyes were closed, and his body reluctantly succumbed to a dreamless sleep.

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"You're sure you're gonna okay?"

"Warrick… we've already talked about this. I'm gonna be fine."

"As long as you're sure."

"Yeah- I'm sure Warrick. I'm just gonna spend some time with Lindsey, and then get some sleep. Something you ought to look into." She answered, a small smile growing on her face.

"Alright, alright, I'm going. Get some rest."

"You too."

Warrick smiled in response as he headed out to his truck. It wasn't long before he was back at his own home, slowly crawling into his bed, letting his muscles finally relax as sleep overtook him almost immediately.

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Nick woke up a full two hours before his pills were supposed to fully wear off. While he had wished he'd slept longer, a part of him was surprised that he had even made it so long. He sat around for a few moments, trying to think of anything he could do. Except no matter what it was, he just couldn't makes himself really move.

That was why he was somewhat surprised to find himself sitting in the lush grass, yellow roses in hand. He wasn't sure what had sparked the sudden change, but he just hadn't had it in him to choose the white roses. As he laid them one by one in front of the polished stone he couldn't help but feel that it was something she would have wanted from him.

Once he had laid down the dozen yellow roses he topped the pile off with another red rose. He knew that he'd never really let go, but it did feel as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. There was always that hope; hope that things would change, that things would get better, no matter how dismal they appeared to be. He didn't feel so tired anymore, so worn down. The cold loneliness that had been welling up inside him seemed far more faint than it had ever really felt before.

It was comforting.

"You don't have to stand back there, Warrick."

"Wh-what… how… ya know what, it doesn't matter. I, uh, I just didn't want to disturb you or anything."

Nick grinned and turned his head to look at his best friend. He had heard the footsteps, smelt the strong soap, and just the mere presence Warrick seemed to exude. It was comforting. "You're a friend. Means you _can't_ disturb anything."

Warrick smiled, and walked up to join his best friend. He immediately noted the yellow roses, but decided to keep silent. _If he wants me to know, then he'll tell me when he's ready for me to know._ "You doing okay?"

"Yeah." He paused for a few moments, actually considering the question before resolutely nodding his head, the grin still in place. "Yeah, yeah I am. How did you know I was here?"

"Because… I went by your house, and then I called your gym… and you weren't out running at the park by your place, so I figured this would be the only other place you'd really go after a tough shift."

"Yeah. She'll always have a big place in my heart, but I think it's well past time to let go a bit more than I have. Just don't want to be so lonely anymore, ya know?"

"I do. Not exactly easy to keep up a good relationship with this job."

"Even so, three years is far too long."

Warrick just nodded, the information not really surprising him. Nick had never been one to let things go, and at times it was both comforting and worrisome. It hurt to think that Nick was still suffering from demons that no person should ever have to face. Then again it also meant that he'd never let go of all the good times that he'd experienced in his life.

Those were the things that tended to win in the end. Though the odds might not have been great, Warrick would have bet every cent he owned that Nick would find a way to be truly happy. He just hoped that he'd managed to grab everything that Nick would need from the Texan's garage.

"Ya know, Nick, I think it's been too long since you've flown."

Nick just smiled as he stood up and followed Warrick back to the truck. When he saw his paragliding equipment in the back his smile grew even wider.

"Oh yeah, it's definitely been too long."

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To Be Continued…

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Notes: It took me forever to get the ending of this to feel right, so I hope you all liked how it turned out. I am really glad to be done with this season of the show; it was a pain to keep the ideas going to get a full chapter. Hopefully I'll have an easier time with the fifth season episodes, and I already have a handful of them nearly finished. Thanks for the reviews.

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	31. Viva Las Vegas

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

Truth was that the shift had really bummed him out in a lot of ways. It hadn't been all that bad of a case, but he did get the feeling that he wouldn't get the chance to be the man at the end of an aisle someday. Added to the fact that Greg had failed his proficiency, and had required quite a bit of reassuring that Nick hadn't been sure he'd be capable of giving.

Which was why he was glad that Greg had told them he just wanted to head home and get some sleep. Nick hadn't even tried to argue, feeling immense relief at the fact that when he had taken his own proficiency tests that Grissom hadn't been his supervisor. The man was well past being intimidating, and the truth was that everyone wanted his approval to some extent, at least for a while. Which was another thing he was grateful for.

That phase was behind him, and he was determined to not let his supervisor bother him anymore.

Especially not tonight.

* * *

Warrick was driving. It didn't take long for them to reach the small bar, and after ordering a beer they headed right for the pool table. One of the more relaxing pass times they had. After one game they already had a few people challenging them. They exchanged smiles as the others boasted lightly about their own skills.

The bartender and a few waitresses and a few of the patrons who frequented the bar nearly every night couldn't help but laugh. Not even two hours later most of the people in the room were back to their drinks, trying to ignore the fact that the two men had worked even better when on the same team.

It may as well have been heaven for Nick. He didn't drink too much and the smell of the bar was a bit too strong for his taste, but getting to spend even a slight amount of time with Warrick made everything well worth it.

So much in life had no predictability. Cases came and went, leaving varying impacts on each of them. There were memories both good and bad, each could be brought back to the surface without any possible explanation that made sense as to why such memories had even been triggered. It wasn't so bad anymore, but despite it all, he couldn't help but feel something was missing.

Nick was still getting older, and when he looked at each of his siblings who had all married a few years after college he couldn't help but wonder if that would ever be him. He was still fairly content with his life, but even with all of his friends he couldn't help but feel lonely at times when they weren't around.

After another round of pool he couldn't help but shake the uneasy feeling that was starting to overcome him. For a few minutes he chided himself for simply being paranoid, but the feeling wasn't going away, and he could feel the hairs on his neck rising. His eyes began to subtly scanning the room, searching for the cause of his fear.

It didn't take long for Warrick to notice the sudden change in Nick's behavior. His friend had been smiling widely, and laughing freely; now the smile was slightly forced, and his laughter falling a few notches.

"You alright- bro?"

"Huh? Oh… uh, y-yeah, I'm fine."

Warrick shook his head and sighed, "Come on man, don't even think about trying to lie to me. Something is obviously bothering you, and if you'd just tell me what it is… well, we could save quite a bit of time here."

"I… I just feel like someone is… you know, _watching_ me."

Warrick nodded, fighting the urge to give his friend a bit of a hard time. He had a feeling that Nick was only being paranoid, but he wasn't about to tell the man that. Anyone who had had a person living in their attic had every right to be afraid that someone was watching them, even if it was years later.

Instead he began looking around the room, searching as discreetly as possible for anyone who might have been watching Nick. When his eyes finally fell on the perpetrator he couldn't help but smile. "I think someone is checking you out, Nick." He replied and nodded his head towards a woman sitting at the bar across the room.

Nick briefly turned to look at the unusually exquisite woman. Though there was nothing all that amazing about her, she looked real, like someone who wasn't trying to impress anyone. Like someone that you'd find just walking through a grocery store, or perhaps while just going about daily errands.

"I guess I can relax now." Nick answered sheepishly before turning his attention back to the game of pool.

"Hey, Nick… why don't you go talk to her?"

"I… I can't, man. I just- I can't do it." He replied quietly, putting even more concentration into the game than he had before.

Warrick nodded briefly before walking over to where his friend was currently standing. "Listen, I know you don't want to get hurt. And I highly doubt that she's the _one_, but you'll never know until you put yourself back out there. It's been what- three and a half years? Practically _four_ since you've even gone out with someone for dinner on an actual date."

"I just… I don't know if I still have it in me anymore. And… how can I really expect anyone to see something worthwhile in me, when I can't even see it myself?"

He nodded in response to Nick's words. Their eyes met, and though he thought Nick was being unbelievably foolish, he also knew that a person's self-confidence was far too easy to break, and that it was far too hard to fix sometimes. Which meant that he wasn't about to dismiss what his friend was feeling. "You gotta give yourself more credit. Nick… you're a great guy, and one hell of a great friend. Just because you might not see it now, doesn't mean it's not true."

"There's gotta be at _least_ twenty other guys in here that are better than m-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll hit you over the head with this cue stick." Warrick instantly cut him off, waving the stick in his hand slightly to fully garner Nick's attention. "You _ever_ put yourself down that badly again, and you'll be answering to _me_. There may be a lot of 'good' guys in this bar, but she's been looking at _you_, my friend. And you're more than a good guy. She'd be lucky to ever meet you."

Nick's smile returned a bit more as his eyes met Warrick's. "So… I guess I just, uh, go over there… and t-talk to her?"

Warrick chuckled lightly, noticing just how nervous Nick was. "Yeah, I'd personally suggest introducing yourself first, maybe ask for her name. Then you could possibly suggest going out for dinner sometime, usually after that you get her phone number, maybe even her address…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Nick let out a sigh, before biting his lip, and taking a deep breath. "Here goes nothing, I guess…" he mumbled softly before heading across the room.

Less than halfway there he paused, and looked back at Warrick who simply raised an eyebrow and casually waved him on.

Nick smiled, and shook his head slightly at his own behavior over something he had done countless times before. It didn't matter if this didn't work out, it didn't matter if he got hurt anymore than he already had been. If all else failed he'd have Warrick to turn to, he'd have Catherine, and everyone else on the team. The way Warrick had defended him against himself was comforting, and knowing that his best friend thought of him as a good person had truly helped boost his confidence.

After walking a few more feet he met the woman's eyes, and sighed inwardly, trying to build up whatever courage he could muster. There was no turning back now, and once he was standing next to her, she smiled and motioned towards the empty seat next to her.

"Hi, I'm Danielle… Danielle Hayes."

She smiled brightly at him, and he moved to take the seat beside her. He turned and took one last glance at Warrick while promising himself that he'd have to thank his friend for finally giving him a push that he needed.

"I'm Nick Stokes… it's nice to meet you."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Wow, it took a _long_ time to come up with this idea, let alone actually get it down on paper. Chapter fourteen on WABM is in progress, but it's taking me a while to get that done as well, I guess it's another bout of writer's block flaring up. Hopefully I'll be able to update this chapter soon, and once I get to Grave Danger it'll be much easier to keep going. Thanks for all the reviews and support so far.

* * *


	32. Down the Drain

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

The sound of the door swinging wide open startled him enough to get him to actually jump up off the bench in the otherwise empty locker room. His eyes widened slightly when he realized that it was Nick. "Hey man… you, uh- you okay?"

The fact that Nick merely walked right past him, and didn't even look at him was another clear warning signal that he was angry with him. That caused Warrick to furrow his brow, they had gotten together towards the end of shift and discussed the case with the rest of the team, and the man had at least seemed fine then.

"Come on, bro… just talk to me, would ya? What's wrong?"

He hadn't expected Nick to suddenly slam his locker shut, and turn towards him, fury practically seething out of him. "What in the _hell_ were you thinking?" Nick nearly shouted at the top of his lungs, making Warrick wince when he realized that they'd be getting an audience soon if Nick didn't calm down.

Nick didn't take his eyes off Warrick once, letting his friend know just how pissed off he really was.

Warrick sighed when he finally realized that there was only one thing that this could possibly be about after the shift. "This is about that damn door- isn't it?"

"No, Warrick- it's because you woke up today- _of course it's about the damn door_!"

"Nick, man… you gotta calm dow-"

"No- I need you to realize just how _stupid_ your actions today were!" Nick shot back, anger still radiating from his eyes.

"Listen, there's no need to make a whole scene here… Sara just-"

"I'll yell at her later! Right now I'm here, and I don't give a damn about making a scene right now… _How_ could you do that?"

Warrick watched as the wrath in Nick's eyes began to dissipate, showing the fear and worry that he had been trying to hide. There was no way out of the situation except to offer the most sincere apology that he could, even if he knew that he'd probably do it again if put in a similar situation. "I-I'm sorry Nick."

All Nick could do was shut his eyes and slowly shake his head as he felt himself fall onto the bench in the middle of the room. "You could have died Warrick." He suddenly found himself fighting to keep from breaking down, and trying as best as he could to hold back the onslaught of tears that wanted to break free.

"Hey, we took a risk. In the end… it was worth it."

"Yeah, you can say that _now_, but what if it hadn't been worth it Warrick? What if one of those bombs had fallen?"

"Nick, you gotta let this go. We're both fine, perfectly safe now, and hypothetical situations mean nothing. It didn't happen- we didn't get hurt."

"Maybe not _this_ time, Warrick, but you gambled with your _life_ today. In my book that's a whole hell of a lot worse than betting your entire life's savings."

Warrick held back the sharp retort he wanted to shoot right back, his own annoyance flaring up at Nick's words. But he couldn't quite reach the point of actually being mad at Nick, especially when he still wasn't entirely clear about why Nick was so upset about something that he was sure Nick himself would do. "Look, I'm sorry that it got you so wound up, but it wasn't that big of a deal-"

Nick froze, and Warrick suddenly felt a sense of complete unease by his friend's suddenly rigid posture. Nick slowly closed his eyes, and let his head fall slightly before whispering just loudly enough for Warrick to hear him. "If it wasn't for you… I wouldn't even be here now."

He had a sinking suspicion that Nick wasn't simply talking about being in Las Vegas. "Nick, I-"

"Save it, Warrick." Nick paused before continuing, "Just listen… I- I wouldn't have made it through these last several years if it hadn't been for you. You've helped me through so much, man… Even after everything that's happened to me- you've been there to lend me a hand so I can pick myself back up, ya know? I wouldn't have been able to do that without you. Just look at me, Warrick. I… I don't need Grissom's approval so much anymore, I've been able to sleep for a good full eight hours. And… well, y-you've made me feel like a normal person again…"

He stopped, letting his voice trail off, unable to say anything else as he focused instead on keeping himself together. Nick had to bite his lip to keep the floodgates closed, unwilling to let it all go.

Warrick had no idea how to react to what Nick had just said. He had thought that he knew just how much he meant to his friend, largely based off of how much Nick meant to him. Life had a way of stacking the deck, and unfortunately it almost always seemed to place Nick at the low end, with odds that would make anyone shudder. He also wondered suddenly just how much Nick would give up just to be what he considered 'normal'.

It was a struggle he had also struggled with, though he liked to think that he had mostly outgrown it by the time he had reached college. He had been verbally abused far too often in school, but the moment he had started to make friends those feelings had dwindled to become little more than memories. For Nick, the physical and emotional damage that had been inflicted on him had caused wounds far deeper than words ever could.

His own problems hadn't been a secret either, whereas Nick had lived his entire life feeling dirty, and ashamed. Warrick silently cursed himself for even being the slightest bit irritated by Nick's concern.

"I never thought I'd feel like that again. When I came to Vegas… I was just trying to run away from everything, hoping that I'd be able to forget about everything, and forget that it had ever happened. But you… _you_ made me feel like I was an ordinary person, like I was actually worth something- like I wasn't a freak. You gave me a chance to actually _live_, Warrick. Losing you… I can't even imagine how I'd be able to live with that."

Warrick gently sunk down onto the bench next to Nick, placing his arm around his friend's shoulders. He took a deep breath before he started talking, "I'm sorry, bro. I _really_ am, and you're right, we should've hightailed it the hell out of that house as soon as we saw those bombs. Why don't we get on out of here, I'll even buy ya breakfast… And if it makes you feel better, well- I'll do my best to be extra cautious out there, all right?"

Nick smiled slightly, and nodded. They sat in silence for another few moments, neither one moving, until Nick finally rose and reopened his locker. "So, uh- where ya taking me?"

"I'd say the diner is our best bet. We're, uh, we're okay, right bro?"

Nick turned to him, and offered a wide smile.

"Always."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Just got our new desktop computer, so I'm all set to go once more, hopefully will be an update in the near future, and the final chapter for 'What a Beautiful Mess' will hopefully be up soon! 


	33. Crow's Feet

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

It was a bit too obvious that she wasn't happy. Her movements were quick, frustrated, trying to do things quickly, but only making getting her necessary items from her locker that much more difficult.

Nick watched her out of the corner of his eye and bit his lip as he tried to concentrate on what he was doing. After another few moments he couldn't take it any longer, and said the first thing that popped into his head. "I'm sorry."

That got Catherine to stop dead in her tracks. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before gently closing her locker and turning to face him. "No, Nick- _really_, I'm not mad at you at all."

"But those questions… I never should've asked-"

"I told you, I'm not mad about that Nick."

"You're obviously mad about something…" He ventured, both because he wanted the reassurance that she wasn't just letting him off the hook, and because it had been obvious that their case had affected her. And as far as Nick was concerned the mere fact that she was one of his closest friends was enough to warrant any interest in what was wrong.

"Just… well, you're not the only one who just isn't all that confident in… After years of being treated like an object, I spent years relying on my looks to get me _anywhere_. And this case made me feel like I was starting to lose them. I know I don't _need_ them now, and that all I need is to have my head screwed on straight, but… old habits die hard I guess."

"You do know that you'd never actually need any of that crap right? I swear I never meant to make you feel like you did."

"Oh please… Nick- I don't think you've ever _tried_ to get on _anyone's_ bad side, let alone actually try to make someone mad. They were honest questions, _really_, and for the last time already- I'm not mad at ya'. Though that _is_ liable to change if you apologize anymore tonight." She added with a warm smile, as she placed a steady hand on his shoulder and gave him a stern look.

"Alright- alright… I'll save the next one 'til tomorrow." Nick replied quickly, flashing a quick smile at her before turning back to his locker.

"Don't you dare, or I'll sic Warrick on you before you have the chance to blink."

"I'd see him comin' from a mile away."

Catherine chuckled at that, and quickly pulled Nick into a tight embrace before kissing the top of his head. When he gave her a curious glance, silently asking for an explanation she smiled, "I guess you can consider that my official thank you."

"Thank you?" Nick shot back, arching one of his eyebrows at her.

"I don't think there is another person in this building that could've put me in a good mood as quickly as you did."

"That's what friends are for." Nick answered, his smile still in place, but his eyes showing just how serious he was.

"Then how about you let a friend buy you a drink?" Came her answer, and though she didn't say it, both knew that their friendship was important to both of them.

* * *

He had never been in the bar before. It wasn't particularly large, and almost had the feel of a club, though the music wasn't nearly as intense as it would be in a larger establishment. It wasn't anything like the type of place he usually preferred, where there were more private booths and far less people. Except he had to admit that a part of him did miss the rush, and his more social side was beginning to break through again.

Catherine's hand around his made him smile, as she led him to the bar and claimed two seats, with a quick wave to the bartender. A few moments later they were both holding a beer, and talking loudly about all sorts of things.

It was another several minutes before Catherine noticed Nick's gaze continued drifting back to the dance floor, and before he could say anything she had set her drink down and was pulling him along with her. There was a distinct nervousness in his eyes that made her smile grow even wider as she took his hands more securely in hers.

"Why so nervous, Nicky? I'm sure you're a great dancer."

Nick let out a tense laugh that was drowned out by the music, and Catherine nearly missed his next words, "It's been, uh, a _really_ long time."

"Ah come on, just think of it as riding a bike- I'll even let you get away with stepping on my feet once… twice is gonna be pushing it though, so you better at least try to watch it." She answered loudly, making Nick grin in response.

"I'll do my best."

Several songs later they ventured off the dance floor, and made their way towards the exit. Her eyes kept glancing over towards Nick, and she couldn't help but feel elated to see the full blown smile plastered on his face. He turned and was just about to suggest that they should order a cab just in case when one pulled up, and her smile widened.

"They have their own service- always at least one cab waiting to pick people up as they come out… just another great little bonus of coming here."

Nick smiled, and gave her a quick hug before opening the door of the cab for her. He climbed in after her, and quickly shut the door, fatigue finally starting to set in. It wasn't long before he couldn't hold back the massive yawn any longer. A quick glance at his watch proved that it was actually far later than he had thought, and he was suddenly grateful that he had the following night off.

* * *

It was another few minutes before the cab stopped in front of Catherine's house, and she climbed out of the cab, waving at him to follow. He gave her a confused glance that made her laugh, "Oh come on, you can stay in the guest room tonight- no charge. Besides, you wouldn't let the driver drop you off first, and I want to know you're safe and sound."

"How could I ever refuse such a g-generous offe-" another yawn cut him off, and he let out a slight laugh, "_off-er_." He repeated, making sure to pronounce the word as best as he could.

"We better get you in a bed, and fast, or you'll fall asleep out here. And you're _way_ too big for me to carry."

"Hey Catherine…"

"Yeah Nicky?" She answered, while slipping her arm around his waist and walking with him up to the quiet house.

"Thanks- for tonight I mean. I don't think I've had this much fun in a while. And it means a lot to me. Y-you're a won-wonderful friend, and… it was- it was fun…"

Catherine shook her head as she opened her front door, and secured it behind them making sure to turn the security system on and to lock the doors. Once she was sure she had allowed Nick to see that her home was secure and safe she began leading him towards the guest room.

As soon as he was close enough he fell down onto the bed and was already practically asleep by the time Catherine had freed the blankets enough to pull them over him.

"G'night Catherine… and thanks agai…" His voice trailed off and she could tell he was barely still awake.

Catherine headed back to the door, and quickly turned off the light before turning back to Nick who was already snoring lightly, a peaceful look on his face, along with a smile. It was so different from the last time she had seen him asleep, and another smile was playing at the corners of her lips. "If it means getting to see that smile… I'd do it every night for the rest of my life."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: This is turning out to be something of a tricky season too, and I do have my reasons for not having Warrick in this chapter. Just trying to set everything up for when I do get to 'Grave Danger', which will hopefully be pretty soon, seeing that this is currently my only work in progress that I am posting for now. Not sure what other episodes I'm going to do before then, but I think there is going to be a bit more of some of the other characters coming up. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'm pretty sure 'Swap Meet' is gonna be next. Thanks for all the reviews so far.

* * *


	34. Swap Meet

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Wow, so this could actually happen then." Nick spoke, finally breaking the silence that had fallen between the three of them as he languidly pushed some of the food around on his plate with his fork.

"Okay… I was expecting something more along the lines of 'congratulations' or maybe a little wish for some good luck…" Catherine answered, her eyes demanding a bit of explanation from him before they moved on with the subject at hand.

"Sorry, it's just, that… you- the team…" Nick stuttered before finally lowering his eyes and pushing his food around a bit more as he tried to put his feelings into words, something that was a notoriously difficult task for him.

"What I _think_ Nick is trying to say is that- we're a _team_, friends and all, ya know? We're rooting for you and all, but we are gonna miss you." Warrick spoke up, hoping he had done Nick justice with his words. When he saw Nick nod in approval he turned his gaze back to Catherine.

She gave a soft sigh before speaking, "I know it'd be a change, but it's a really great opportunity, and I'll have more time for Lindsay, I'll _still_ have plenty of time for the both of you too… I am going to miss getting to work with you guys though, you're definitely better than those guys on dayshift."

Nick nodded, and smiled a bit, "Well, maybe you can still be on our softball team? I mean, you'll always be a graveyard CSI at heart…"

"Yeah, I'll let Ecklie keep his role as their team captain; I certainly don't need 'em blaming me for losing to you guys."

Warrick let out a quick laugh, as he let the idea of Catherine leaving the team sink in a bit more. He had to admit that he understood why Nick hadn't been excited to hear the news. Though he knew they wouldn't always be on the same team he hadn't expected the change to come so soon let alone at all. It would definitely be strange not having her around nearly as often.

At least he knew they weren't losing her as a friend, but her political skills, and her numerous other skills and specialties would be a serious loss. It would definitely be a big blow to there team if it meant Grissom actually had to start filling out forms on his own without her constantly pushing and forcing him to do so. And Ecklie would be able to have a field day without her playing interference.

Then there was the fact that if either he, or especially Nick, ever got into a jam she would always be there for them. And the way she had helped Nick through the rebirthing case, and the fact that she had saved both his career and found justice for Kristy Hopkins, was testament to her devotion to them.

But nothing lasted for forever.

"When will you find out if you got the job or not?" Nick ventured, finally setting his fork down and giving Catherine his full attention.

"I don't know exactly, but probably in a couple of weeks. It's not like we'll never see each other though. I mean- just look at how often we saw Ecklie when he was supervisor… but _if_ I do get the promotion, I know that I'm going to miss both of you the most."

"I am happy for you Catherine, and you, uh, you really do deserve it." Nick answered, offering a wider smile than before, "I guess I just don't take well to changes. And this'll be one hell of a change for everyone."

"That really means a lot to me, Nicky. Damn, we're practically saying goodbyes, and it isn't even finalized." She shook her head and they all chuckled quietly.

"That's because they'd have to be idiots not to give you that position." Warrick answered after letting out a quiet sigh, he offered her the best smile that he could muster.

"Yeah no kidding. And I hate to admit it but… well, good luck, and I do hope that you get it."

"See Cath, he doesn't have a selfish bone in his body." Warrick piped up, his smile growing as he noticed the embarrassed look on Nick's face.

"Sure I do… that doesn't mean that I can't at least _try_ to be happy for my friends." Nick replied quickly, as he shot a sarcastic glare at the other man.

"Ah, give him a break, Warrick. At least he's trying, but being selfish just isn't a quality that just comes natural to everyone, I mean, he isn't you."

It was Warrick's turn to glare at Catherine as she and Nick tried to stifle their laughter. "I ain't _that_ bad, am I?"

"Nah bro, we're just giving you a hard time, now if you'll, uh, excuse me I need to go make a phone call, and I refuse to lower myself to the level of people talking on cell phones in a… well okay- this isn't exactly a restaurant, but you get the idea…" Nick rattled off before Warrick pointed away from their table.

"Just go already, would ya?" He shot at Nick, while trying to make his voice sound as exasperated as he possibly could. Nick nodded in response mumbling a few more words before heading off to the small hallway where the restrooms and phone booths were located.

Warrick was still chuckling softly when he turned back to face Catherine. The serious look on her face stopped him in his tracks, and his smile was replaced by the beginnings of a frown.

"Something wrong, Cath?"

"Warrick- if I get this job… just look out for him alright?" Her voice was sad, and he thought he could hear the regret pouring into the words.

"I always do."

"I know, Warrick, I'm not saying that you don't, but… its just so hard _not_ to worry about him. It makes me nervous to think that so much could happen to any one of you and I wouldn't even know until it was too late."

"Listen- Catherine… you can't _not_ go for this job because of someone else. We both know that Nick would be pissed like none other if he knew that you were even thinking about it, but more importantly- you can't do that to yourself. He'll be okay, you gotta-"

Warrick was cut off when Catherine coughed and subtly nodded towards Nick who was making his way back towards them. He quickly slipped back into his seat with another smile, before he held up his glass.

"To Catherine, in hopes that she gets the promotion that she deserves, and to friends that we can always look to for support." His smile was enough to get both Catherine and Warrick to smile as well as they lifted their glasses as well. Her eyes briefly met Warrick's before going back to Nick, and he could see the fear that was still there no matter how deeply she had buried it.

Without another glance at each other their voices echoed after Nick's, "To friends."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Whew, another chapter out of the way. Hopefully I can keep this pace up for a little while longer, at least until after I get through this season. Maybe it's just false hope, but I'm not sure how I want any episodes from season 6 to play out until I get a better feel for where things are headed in the current season with Nick and Warrick (if anywhere). Well, I guess we'll see what happens when I get there. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thanks for the reviews.

* * *


	35. Formalities

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Be careful Gil." Her voice was unwavering, and her eyes never left him as he moved to sit behind his desk.

"Catherine-"

"No, Gil. If this promotion goes through- I won't be here to play politics for you. There was no reason for you to process that scene with Sofia instead of Nick for starters. And I know you want to trust her, but believe me… Ecklie will do _anything_. You need to put your trust in the _right _people, especially now."

"And who exactly determines who the _right_ people are Catherine?" He answered, giving her one of his few puzzled expressions.

"I'm just saying that you need to focus on keeping the team together more, especially when I'm gone. You just aren't… Listen, don't get me wrong, you're the smartest man I know, and definitely a great CSI, but when it comes to being a supervisor- you're just… not so good. The team needs certain things from you, and your trust is one of them."

"I trust everyone on our team- you _know_ that."

"Yeah, _I_ know that, but do they?" Catherine shot back, the exasperation in her voice starting to take control. "Just look at Nick. I can't tell you how relieved I am that he doesn't need your approval nearly as much anymore, but just because he doesn't need it doesn't mean he shouldn't get it. I know it wasn't your intent, but it hurt him when you called him in to process with you, only to find out that you didn't need him after all. And choosing someone from another shift definitely doesn't show a whole lot of trust in your own team."

"If he had a problem with it why didn't he come to me?" Grissom questioned, his head was starting to hurt, and he couldn't help but feel that she was overreacting.

"For one, your opinion isn't nearly as important to him anymore. And then there's the fact that you're always telling us to keep our personal lives to ourselves. This wasn't even… it wasn't even what you could call a problem. I mean, he's fine, but I just don't want this to become a habit. I care about everyone on the team, and I _really_ don't want to see any of them get hurt."

"Do you trust me?"

Catherine sighed, and gently ran her fingers through her hair. "Of course I do, but that doesn't mean that you don't make mistakes. If you drop the ball… I'm not going to be there to pick up the pieces for you."

Grissom sat back and couldn't stop himself from biting his lip. Losing Catherine wasn't something he was entirely ready for. She made sure he stayed in line, and that every task was completed in at least a decent amount of time. Her running interference with Ecklie was one of the many ways she helped him out, that and either filling out paperwork herself, or constantly pushing him to do so himself.

And just as importantly she was always looking out for the other members of the team, watching each of them, and being ready to move in and offer her friendship the moment she realized that there was a problem. He had never been able to do that. Grissom had missed so many things over the years, so many situations that would have gone overlooked had she or another person not brought it to his attention.

"And I'll still make mistakes. But… I promise to do my best. You have my word on that Catherine. Maybe I don't show it much, but I _do _care about everyone on our team." Came his answer, as he thought about the promise he had made to himself.

Each member of his team deserved his best, and he knew that. And the fact that Catherine could possibly be leaving him to fend for himself wasn't the only reason he felt the need to do better at trying to connect with them on an even deeper level. It meant he'd have to actually get his hands dirty in politics though, and he wasn't sure that was something he would ever be ready for.

Catherine's comments about Sofia also intrigued him. At the time he had simply thought it was an interesting experience, a chance to work with a different person, with someone who could offer new perspectives on how to solve a case, and Sofia had done so. She was definitely far different from anyone on his own team, though by no means any better.

And the fact that she had been there before Nick had essentially been the sole reason for her presence helping him process the scene. Had Nick been there, he would have sent Sofia off without a doubt. He figured that such an action was obvious, but as he thought more about it, he started to see just how easy it would be to misinterpret some of his decisions.

Grissom hated second guessing himself, which was exactly what he was being asked to do. It wasn't that he had a problem with trying to calculate his decisions; the problem was that there were simply too many unknown variables to do so. Without Catherine it was something he'd have to do even more often.

* * *

"Man, things really are gonna change without her around anymore."

"Ah, come on, Nick- I thought we already said that it wasn't for certain…"

"Well, yeah, but they'd be stupid not to hire her. Guess it just means that I need to get used to the thought that the team isn't always gonna be together. I know it was stupid, but I just didn't think it'd happen so… well, I guess it isn't all _that_ soon." His voice was quiet and sounded almost sad, the twinge of regret was all too clear to Warrick.

"Everyone has some things they don't want to lose."

"It's always worse when it's family though."

"Whoa, back up man. We're losing Catherine as a member of our shift, not as a member of our family. _Definitely_ not as a friend either." Warrick answered forcefully.

Nick sighed quietly before nodding his head. "It's just hard to believe that anything can actually last for forever."

They sat in silence as they ate the rest of their meal. Warrick's eyes kept glancing over to Nick as he tried to think of something to say. But somehow he just knew that there wasn't an answer that he could give that would help. Because after so many years he had his own serious doubts that anything could possibly last forever.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Thanks for the support everyone. This chapter would've been up a long time ago if I hadn't had such a hard time thinking of how to end it. Not sure which episode is next (Ch-Ch-Changes, or maybe Mea Culpa), but hopefully it'll be up soon. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

* * *


	36. Mea Culpa

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"I'm glad you could make it."

"Ah- it's nothing, I couldn't sleep anyway. It's gonna take time to get used to the new sleeping patterns." Nick spoke as he sat down across from Grissom. "Shouldn't _you_ be asleep now, though?"

"I just- I wanted to talk to you about the, uh, the staff changes."

Nick gave him an odd look, and Grissom couldn't help but feel as if he had let Nick down in some way. "Listen, Grissom, I know I should've done better, and I still can't believe that Ecklie used us all against each other…"

"Don't do that Nick." He interjected quickly, his fingers automatically rubbing at his temples.

"Do what?" His tone was a bit cautious, and there wasn't a doubt in Grissom's mind that Nick hadn't blamed anyone but himself for this mess.

"Nick, we both know Ecklie. Neither of us can stand him- don't forget the reasons _why_ that's the way it is. You know just as well as I do that he's only looking for what he wants. The man starts with the answers he wants, and he asks the questions that'll give him those answers. He cornered each and every one of you, and there wasn't a damn thing you could've done to stop this from happening."

"Yeah, but-"

"Nick, you _can't_ blame yourself for this. Yeah you've made some mistakes, that's just how life works. If anything you made it harder for him to split the team up. It may be hard to believe, but he does have something of a conscience- even if it only shows up once every ten years. You were honest with him- and don't think he doesn't know that, everyone knows when you're put on the spot and lie."

Nick nodded a bit, not sure how to react to the man sitting across from him. "That's… one hell of a stretch there… I- it just seems like I should've been able to do more."

"You've done more than your fair share, Nick. Just take a look at our team- the _only_ members on our team that he doesn't have any serious problems with are you and Catherine."

He nodded again, listening to his former supervisor's words, and willing them to sink in and hopefully stick. It was one of those few times when Grissom got like this, and he had to say that he was surprised that the guy had actually initiated such a personal conversation.

Which was abruptly accompanied by a wave of guilt. Though he had repeatedly told himself that he had done his best to keep Ecklie from being able to manipulate his words, there was still that doubt left in him. The problem wasn't anything close to what Grissom was trying to address and Nick felt the war waging on whether or not he should clue the older man in.

Because the truth of the matter was that Nick simply wasn't sure if Grissom was the right supervisor for someone like himself.

No matter how hard he tried, there were still things that he needed to hear. The occasional 'good work' comments, the reassurement that he wasn't dragging the team into the mud. But that was something that Grissom just didn't do. And it was something that he had tried so hard to let go, something he wished he didn't need, and it was an extremely futile effort. It was too easy for him to fall into any level of depression. He was thankful that for the most part it rarely became unbearable, but at the same time, he knew all it would take would be a single sentence to get him out of a funk.

Which is what was causing him to feel so terribly guilty. There wasn't a person he'd admit it to, but he was looking forward to having Catherine as his supervisor. It was the easy way out for him; he'd get what he needed, and he hoped that if he could start to feel better about himself then it'd be easier for him to work under Grissom again. Which was something he refused to give up on. Plus, Catherine was his friend, they had been for so long, and he couldn't think of a single thing he wouldn't trust her with.

She offered so many things that Grissom didn't, and he couldn't help but feel some level of relief that he'd be working for someone that let him know he was valued.

His eyes shifted down towards his food, trying diligently to keep his emotions in check. There was so much that he wanted to say, only the words wouldn't come out. Instead he went back to his food, silently hoping that Grissom would say something to fill the silence that had fallen between them.

"Nick-" Grissom stops, his eyes searching; trying to get a glimpse at Nick's before he says something more. There's something that feels so off, something creating a gap between them, and he just couldn't figure how to build the bridge to get across. He was willing to bet that whatever Nick was feeling went a lot deeper than what he had said to Ecklie. "I want you to know that-"

He had come so close, the words on the tip of his tongue. Except as soon as he had started to speak Nick's cell phone went off.

"Hey Catherine… yeah, okay. No, really it's not a problem, I'll be there in five." Nick looked up, finally meeting Grissom's eyes. "Hey, sorry, but I gotta run, Catherine needs me at a scene."

Grissom nodded in response, and watched as Nick quickly placed a ten on the table and took off out the door before he could think of anything to say. When the door to the diner closed he swore he could have kicked himself for missing his opportunity to let the younger man know just how proud he was of him.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: It took quite a bit of time to get this to work out like I wanted it to. Hopefully the next few chapters won't take long to write and post, but with everything going on right now it may be awhile (I've got school, speech and debate, and one heck of a massive story in the works right now). I'd really appreciate any comments and/or suggestions, they do help to keep my motivation strong. 


	37. No Humans Involved

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"I dunno about you man, but it could be awhile before I get used to this."

Nick nodded as he leaned back in the chair. "Yeah, it might be awhile before I get used to going to sleep when it's actually still dark out."

"I was talking about Catherine."

"I know." Nick shot back quickly, keeping his eyes on the screen in front of them.

That caught Warrick by surprise. He had just assumed that Nick was just as bothered by the sudden changes and obstacles Ecklie had thrown at them as anyone else. But as he thought back on it, he wasn't so sure. Nick hadn't put in nearly as much input where it concerned the team being split up. The only person who had spent even less time talking about it was Grissom. "I guess I just figured that you'd be having a tougher time getting used to her being the boss and all- it's a big change."

"Ya know, contrary to popular belief I _can_ handle things on my own. It happened- Ecklie split us up. No use in dwelling on it."

"I know, but you- you just…"

"What? I can't get over anything now Warrick?" His eyes moved up to meet Warrick's for a brief moment, and he knew he may as well have decked his friend. "Look, I'm sorry Warrick- I know you're concerned about me, but I'm okay man- seriously."

"I _do_ know that you can take care of yourself, and I know that you can handle pretty much anything… It just doesn't make me worry any less- ya know?"

"Yeah, but damn, 'Rick… I'm doing good now. I can go home without checking my attic, I sleep without nightmares, hell I've even gotten myself back into dating… The last thing I'm gonna worry about right now is whose shift I'm on. Now if I was on days… well that'd be a different story. I get to work with two of the smartest people I've ever met, and with friends, that means more to me than a whole lot of other things."

"Yeah, I guess it does…" He wasn't sure what to really say to that, he still wasn't sure about everything Nick had said. There was still that lingering suspicion that Nick was just blowing him off, but even if that was the case there was nothing he could really say without letting Nick know that he didn't completely trust his own best friend.

"I'll see ya tomorrow man."

"Yeah." He didn't get the chance to say anything else before he heard the door of the locker room open and close again. There wasn't much of a reason for him to turn around and confirm that Nick was already gone.

That wasn't a surprise in the least bit. But the knowledge that he was more bothered by the shift change than Nick certainly was. Grissom was someone they all looked up to, the man that had been a major selling point for each of them when applying for their positions on the team. Each of them had a deep, indestructible respect for his ability to do the job. The reluctance to get paperwork done, even if it affected each of them, was accepted by everyone with ease, the sole exception to that bit was Catherine.

She was the one who pushed him in ways no one else could. If it wasn't for Catherine he was sure they'd be out of jobs because Grissom hadn't gotten evaluations filled out, or else they'd be stuck without raises and recommendations. The man lacked qualities that he'd demand from anyone else, but somehow he let it go when it came to Grissom. That made it harder for him to accept that some people may not like the kind of supervisor he was. Apparently Nick was one of those people.

He let out a heavy sigh, his mind racing a mile a minute. Nick practically worshipped the ground that Grissom walked on; everyone saw it. And for him to accept this without much more than a protest was completely out of character for him. Warrick liked to understand things, and that made it especially hard for him to let things like this go.

"That long of a day, huh?"

He smiled, the tone was teasing, light, even playful. "Hey Catherine."

"Hey yourself- I asked you a question." If it wasn't for the smile he would've rolled his eyes at her comments.

"Yeah, I guess. Just got a lot on my mind."

She gave him a brief look, and he couldn't help but smile. Catherine wasn't a fool; she was anything but that. "Then get some rest. I need you at the top of your game tomorrow."

"When _don't_ you need us doing our best?"

That earned him a soft chuckle, "You're a good CSI, and even with that whole thing… today with that officer- you still did a good job. Now get some rest, and if you see Nicky before next shift let him know I appreciate you guys, both of you."

"Thanks, Catherine."

"It's nothing, now get out of here before I have to drag you out by your ear."

He smiled even wider at that, and shook his head as she turned and headed out of the room. She was a supervisor, and he almost felt like kicking himself for not seeing it sooner. Of course Nick wasn't fighting this. It was his chance to finally get past Grissom, out from that shadow. Catherine had so much more to offer him than Grissom ever could.

It was a chance for Nick to excel, and it was a chance Warrick didn't want him to miss.

* * *

He closed the door, setting the alarm and tossing his keys onto the counter. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, before heading towards his bed. Nothing he had told Warrick had been a lie. It had taken so long for him to reach this point again.

The guilt that made him almost feel like he was betraying not only Grissom, but the entire team as well, was pushed to the back of his mind. He needed to get some rest so that he'd be ready for tomorrow.

It took a few minutes, but before long he had managed to drift to sleep, too tired to dream about much of anything. A fact that he was more than thankful for.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: It took me awhile to finish this one up. I'm getting closer to Grave Danger, but there'll be a few more episodes thrown in first. I've got several stories in the works, and I've finally gotten around to editing 'An Unfair Act of Vengeance'. Not sure when I'll start posting any of these, but hopefully it won't be too terribly long before it happens.

* * *


	38. Snakes

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"I'm not apologizing, Warrick."

"Yeah, well you damn well should be."

He wasn't hiding the anger, though he couldn't quite say the same thing about his fear.

"I didn't go in there alone man, Vega was there- so were a bunch of uniforms. It's not like I was all alone in that place."

"You may as well have been. Ya had at _least_ fifty guns pointed at you for God's sakes! You think they'd just miss you, huh?"

Nick shook his head before standing up and moving to close his locker. "He killed an innocent girl, Warrick. You would have done the same exact thing."

Warrick didn't answer. He didn't want to acknowledge that Nick was almost certainly right. He lacked that caution, and giving in to his friend by accepting that was something Warrick just wasn't willing to do. At the same time he knew it was useless trying to lie to Nick. The man could barely get away with it, and at the same time had an uncanny knack for recognizing when someone else wasn't being honest. Which meant that it was time to switch tactics. "That doesn't matter. It was dangerous, and I know you were just doing your job, but… well, it just isn't easy to accept how dangerous our jobs can be."

"That's the way life goes. Believe it or not, I don't actually go out looking for trouble."

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean it doesn't find you often enough."

That got a small smile from Nick. "Alright, alright- we can sit here all day talking about this… or we could just play some ball."

"Yeah, and this time I won't let you win."

He had meant to say it in a far more serious tone, but by the look on Nick's face it hadn't worked as well as he'd hoped. The grin his friend was bearing was a sight that had the ability to instantly put him at ease, and he had no doubt that it could throw off anyone. Rumor in the lab had it that it could even work on Brass, and occasionally some of the more stubborn lab rats as well. Which is why he wished the guy didn't have to wear it while they played basketball.

It wasn't long before they were racing back and forth down the court. Neither one willing to give the game anything less than a hundred percent of their effort and concentration. Warrick let out a deep breath, that drew another smile from his friend as he moved to take another shot. When it went in he let out a small whoop in celebration.

And then they were moving again. He was trying to block Nick, and doing pretty well blocking the shorter man from shooting until he managed to slip right past him and make a quick shot.

He sighed, and shook his head. Warrick doubted that he'd win, but he felt good that he was at least putting up a good fight. And he relaxed with the knowledge that even if Nick won it'd be a close game.

Nick was dribbling again, smile still there as moved to get around him. With a quick jerk he had knocked the ball away from Nick and was well on his way down the court by the time he heard Nick's footsteps racing to catch up to him.

"Young man- I thought I told you to call me when your shift ended!"

The words caught Warrick by surprise, and he didn't have time to register that he had dropped the ball, giving Nick the chance to grab it and make another basket. He shook his head and let his gaze shift from Nick over to his Grandmother. That was definitely not something he had expected, although he was already kicking himself for forgetting to call her.

"I, uh… I forgot…" He answered somewhat sheepishly, and he glared at Nick when he saw the teasing smile take hold.

"Don't you think I'm gonna let you off the hook just cause you _forgot_. And if you think forgetting your own Grandmother is acceptable- boy you've got another thing comin' to ya."

"That one would actually be my fault, ma'am. I am the one who pretty much dragged him down here… although if I'd a known he had plans…" Nick trailed off, a smile threatening to overcome his face as he watched Warrick glare at him.

"That's quite alright dear, though I insist that you come too. I'll have breakfast enough for the both of you, although _one_ of you has yet to earn it…"

"Ah, Grams, you can't just let him off the hook, he'll get even more smug than he already is."

"At least he has plenty of manners, and _remembers_ them. But that's enough now, come on, we're going home to get some real food into those stomachs. I think a few stories from your childhood would be sufficient enough to get you to remember the next time you promised to call me."

"Oh, now this I can't miss." Nick answered, his smile taking over completely as he tossed the ball to Warrick and headed off after Warrick's grandmother.

"Man, this just isn't fair- You have ten times more family than I do, but do I get any embarrassing stories? No, just cause they all have to be living down there in Texas…"

"Whatever, man. You wouldn't get anything out of them anyways- we've got so much on each other that no one wants it to all come out just so we could get a few kicks…"

"That's just cruel, man."

"Hey, I just play hardball, five sisters will do that to a guy…" He answered, smile still firmly rooted on his face, and as he dutifully climbed into the passenger seat of his Grandmother's car he couldn't help but let his own smile out. Even though the playful look in his Gram's eyes made it falter he figured that she couldn't embarrass him all that badly.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: I've got quite a few reasons behind the events of these past few chapters, and this one as well that are going to be coming into play soon enough. I've got a lot going on this week, and next week, but after all that I'll have a lot more time to work on this story as well as several others that are in the works right now. There'll be updates on all of them at my profile as I get farther along with each of them. Thanks for all the reviews.

* * *


	39. Big Middle

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey- Warrick… am I really _that_ bad as a supervisor?"

"What do you mean?" His tone letting her know that the question had caught him off guard. His eyes raised from his plate of food to meet her own as he tried to guess what she was going to say.

"Well, Nick- he's been acting weird. I've never seen him so… defiant. It's not like we haven't been getting along fine on other cases. Maybe it's just… well, you know, starting to really hit him that the teams are split."

"Catherine, you're good at your job, and, yeah it may take a while for us to get fully adjusted, but we will get there."

"Then, in the meantime I'm just going to have to deal with a bunch of unruly CSIs?"

"Nah, you just gotta give us a bit of a break. Grissom called Nick to that scene, and he was- well, you know Nick. The man may not be on nearly as high of a pedestal as he used to be, but he's still up there; probably always will be. He went out there, thinking that Grissom had called him in. That had to have meant quite a bit to him, we _both_ know that. Then he gets out there, and suddenly… well, you're there, and it just becomes another case."

"Okay, great, so I'm never going to be as good a supervisor as Grissom. Maybe I could just talk to Ecklie. I can play politics, Nick could go back with Grissom, we could take on Sara or even Greg."

"That's not a good idea."

"Great, Warrick, you're telling me that Nick wants to be working with Grissom, and then you're telling me that I shouldn't do anything about this. I'm not letting go of this position. If there's a problem then I want it solved, even if it means a few changes on our shifts."

"Just hear me out. We both know Ecklie doesn't really care for Nick. Yeah, maybe he'd follow through with a request from you, but that's not even the real problem here."

She knew Warrick was having a hard time getting to his point, the clues were all right there in front of her. Whatever it was wrong was something he didn't want to say. He wanted her to figure it out on her own, wanted her to put two and two together. Except she didn't have the pieces, and even if she did it could take all day for her to figure it out at the rate they were going back and forth.

"Would you just spit it out already?"

"W-what?" That question caught him even further off guard, and she slowly shook her head.

"Warrick- tell me what the problem really is. I can't do anything to help fix it if you keep me out of the loop."

"Look, it's just… it isn't easy."

"Why not?"

"Because… it's Grissom." Warrick lowered his eyes, and sighed. "You know better than I do that he's not exactly the best at acting as a supervisor. He's messed up… well, with Nick anyway. Nick just looks to him for so much that he's never gonna get out of the guy. And after so long he just doesn't know where else to look for it."

"You're saying that even though Nick isn't on Grissom's shift he's still looking for approval from him. And that tonight Grissom asking for him was basically a way of giving him that?"

"Yeah, I hate to think about it, but this is probably a _good_ thing. I mean, I'm pissed that Ecklie split the team, but I also think that this could be the best thing for Nick right now."

"And I'm guessing you already have a battle plan?"

"Yeah." His eyes looked up, and he shook his head when he saw the smile tugging at her lips.

"Let me guess, you think this is Nick's chance to get over this whole Grissom phase?"

"Well, pretty much. He's always going to respect Grissom, and I bet that there'll always be some need for the man's approval. But, _you're_ his supervisor now Catherine. And you can give him what he needs. You don't just throw out compliments halfheartedly- he still cares about how you see his work too. A few good jobs, and you can help keep his confidence up, then, well- hopefully he'll eventually have enough confidence in himself that he won't need to hear those words so often."

"Okay. I promise that I'll let him know that he's doing a good job, and I'll try to go a little easy on him, but that doesn't mean that I'll compromise my authority. I've worked too hard to get this job, and the ass hole doesn't even give me dayshift."

"Yeah, I think he wanted to screw us all over when he pulled this stunt. But if it helps Nick… well, we could make it worthwhile."

She furrowed her brows slightly, leaning closer to him, "You've really put a lot of thought into this haven't you…" Her voice trailed off, both knowing that it was more of an observation than an actual question.

"He's my friend. And you know just as well as I do that he's got a better idea of what hell is like than pretty much anyone else that we know. He deserves to have someone looking out for him."

"Nick's lucky to have you for a friend. _I'm_ lucky to have you as a friend. You're a great guy Warrick, and don't you forget it."

His eyes reflected his surprise and Catherine smiled a bit more. "Come on, Warrick, I'm not blind. We both know that Nick needs to hear some praise to keep going, and though you'll probably never admit it… you need to hear those words too. Everyone does. Some people are just better at letting it go than others. Both of you guys deserve to know that your work is appreciated, that goes for Sara and Greg too… I'll do my best to make sure it happens."

"I know." Warrick offered a bright smile, before standing up and sliding out of the booth. He slid a twenty partway under one of the coffee mugs before looking back at her. "I'll see ya tonight Cath. Thanks."

"Yeah, oh and Warrick…" She paused waiting for him to turn around, "I'm glad that you're watching Nick's back. It's good to know that he's got a friend like you watching out for him."

Warrick chuckled lightly, the words sinking in. After a few moments of silence he offered another smile, "Nah, I'm the lucky one- I've got him to watch mine. I'll see you later."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: I've been meaning to post this chapter for awhile now, but life got really hectic this last week, and it just never happened. I'm still working fairly diligently on my other stories, and I hope to have at least one of them ready to post in May. Thanks for all the reviews- its always nice to know what people think of my stories.

* * *


	40. Compulsion

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey- you owe me an apology."

Nick froze, taking a deep breath before he answered. "I'm sorry…" He turned away, his stomach starting to twist uncomfortably as the last five minutes kept replaying itself in his mind. All he really wanted to do was go home and try to forget everything that had happened in the past shift. He let out a brief sigh before finishing, "That you feel that way."

He didn't say another word before he started towards the lobby. The thought of his own bed, and the chance to get a hot shower, and hopefully a chance to forget the past shift was too appealing for him to want to stick around.

"You've got a problem Stokes."

He stopped, and shut his eyes, willing himself not to do anything stupid. The last thing he, or anyone else, needed was for him to get into an all out brawl with the detective.

"Just let it go, Chris. I was doing my job."

"And I did mine- I don't like people trying to work around me, and I _really_ don't like it when one of you guys goes and tries to undermine my case."

"What do you want me to, huh? That I'm sorry that family just lost _both _of their kids in a day? That I wanted to make damn well sure that we got the right guy, and that we weren't gonna be sending some kid off in shackles because of some confession? Not gonna happen. Now, if you don't mind- I could use some sleep."

He turned again, and started back towards the lobby, inhaling as deeply as he could in hopes to calm his nerves. The hand on his shoulder nearly made him flinch as he was spun around.

"Don't you walk away from me, Stokes- we're not done here." His voice was laced with anger, and it was making Nick even more frustrated than he had been.

"I don't have anything else to say to you, and I'd appreciate it if you'd let go of my arm."

He didn't have much chance to respond before he was pushed up against the wall, and he knew that if it came to an actual fight he wouldn't stand a chance. He was too worn out, and far too drained to actually put up much of a defense.

"Hey!"

Nick closed his eyes, and let himself relax, silently thanking God that he could hear her voice, and the familiar sound of her heels clicking on the floor. He let out a deep breath before opening his eyes and letting his gaze wander over to Catherine. She had an eyebrow raised, and the look in her eyes was one that he was glad wasn't being directed at him.

Warrick appeared around the corner behind her, and Nick watched his brow furrow in concern.

He slumped a bit when he felt the detective loosen his grip, and Nick swore he'd be sure to thank Catherine that her eyes could make even the toughest men back down and listen to her.

"What's going on here?"

"We were just discussing the case." His voice was far more steady than he had expected, "And we just finished. I was just about to call it a day and catch up on some sleep."

He nearly backed down himself when her gaze shifted to him, and he could tell that she wasn't buying it completely. "We'll talk about it later, Nick. And Chris, I believe you have some paperwork waiting for you. I'd hate to see our investigation go to waste if it wasn't finished on time." She waited until the man had taken off down the hall before she refocused her attention on her friend. "You okay, Nick?"

"Yeah… I'll be okay, just need some time, ya know?"

"Yeah I know. Listen, if you want to talk about anything, just call, or come by- my door's always open for you. Otherwise, get your butt home, and get some rest."

He offered a small smile, "Thanks Catherine." He hoped that she could understand just how grateful he was.

"Anytime, Nick- now get going."

She watched him move past her, and smiled a bit when he gave her a halfhearted wave that she couldn't help but return. A tired sigh broke free, and she felt her shoulders slump a bit as she let herself give in to just how tired she really was. With a slight groan she made her way out into the lobby, and only paused for a moment to consider where Warrick had gone.

* * *

"What are you doing here?"

"I want to know why you were being so hard on Nick."

"Excuse me?" His tone was clearly hinting that this was a subject that would be best left alone at the moment, and it was one Warrick wasn't willing to accept.

"You heard me. Come on, man- you know how the job works. You know we have to follow all the leads, and that Nick was just doing his job."

"I had a confession. There was no reason for him to take off on the case like he did."

"We've all flown off the handle, it happens to everyone- you _know _that. And _you're_ no exception to that one. He was a little kid- that confession would've been thrown out of court faster than you can blink. We needed actual evidence, and so Nick looked into a few other potential suspects… he wasn't trying to pull the rug out from under you on this. Yeah, maybe he didn't want to believe that a kid could do something as horrible as that, but can you blame him?"

"Hey, fact is fact- if he can't handle that then he shouldn't be working as a CSI."

"Oh yeah, because the last thing any of us needs is to work with someone who hasn't become a pessimist. Don't even try and tell me that he hasn't made some cases easier for you to handle. Yeah, he drags his heels in certain cases, but that's no excuse for you to go off on him."

He didn't want to be having this conversation, primarily because he knew he was wrong, and he had never been a fan of having someone else pointing that out. "What do you want me to do, huh? Write him an apology?" He knew his voice was laced with far too much sarcasm than was wise when it came to Warrick, but he couldn't really make himself care.

"You know I'm right- and you _know_ Nick was right. That's enough for me, but it'd be a good idea for you to let him know that _you_ know it."

Warrick rubbed his hands roughly over his eyes, trying to keep himself awake long enough to get himself back to his house. He smiled a bit when he hit almost all green lights on his way back, and he decided to set his alarm an hour early.

* * *

He let out a brief sigh as he finished tying the laces of his tennis shoe. His eyes glanced around the room for a few seconds before he spotted his keys on the coffee table and stuffed them in his pocket. The sleep had helped, but it still hadn't been quite enough to get the images of te two boys out of his head.

Nick nearly yelped when the doorbell went off, and it took him a few seconds to get his breathing back under control before he moved to see who it was.

"Warrick. Isn't it a little early for you to be up man?"

"I could say the same for you. At least you look like you could use a couple more hours."

"What're you doin' here?"

"Nothing really, just thought we could play some ball, or go running, ya know- whatever…"

"Alright man- just give me a sec, gotta lock up and all."

* * *

Warrick watched Nick as he quickly twisted the lock, and tried not to flinch as his friend turned the key to lock the deadbolt as well. He knew it was the responsible thing to do, but knowing how Nick had made that change made it harder to accept.

It took more effort than he'd ever admit to hold back a sigh. He hated to even think about it, but it was hard for him to not question his friend. Nick's past was more than slightly rocky, and Warrick knew that it was changing their friendship.

He just hoped that it was for the better.

Before his mind had too much time to drift any further he saw Nick give him a quizzical glance before heading towards past his truck. Warrick shook his head, and forced himself to focus on moving his legs for the moment, promising himself that the rest of his thoughts could wait.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: This took me more time than I expected to finish up. But I do have good news. There are only two more episodes that I plan to do before Grave Danger, which are going to be 4x4 and Weeping Willows. Hopefully it won't take me too long to get them done. Thanks for the reviews, and the comments. They mean a lot. 


	41. 4x4

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

_"Just another day in paradise."_

Grissom shook his head as he shut the door to his office. He was way too close to actually wishing for a migraine to strike. It'd be easier, and far more simple than trying to think through everything that had happened recently.

Losing half his shift was hard, and he wished that he could get the chance to work with them again. Because at the moment he felt like the plane was taking off without him, and everyone was leaving him behind. That in and of itself didn't really surprise him; he'd felt similar feelings throughout his whole life.

Except he actually cared about the people he felt like he was losing.

Catherine had barely seen him at all the past few weeks, and he missed having her around, even if her somewhat annoyingly accurate insights could drive him up the wall. She saw things that he was missing. And while he knew he was good at his job, he also knew that he owed a lot of his success as a supervisor to her. There was so much he was missing, and it wasn't limited to Nick, Warrick and Catherine. He was missing just as much with Sara, Greg, and even Sofia.

Nick's words kept replaying themselves in his mind, and if he tried he could almost ignore the sarcasm and defeat in the younger man's voice. Almost. Grissom hated it when people gave up, when they just shut down and quit. It was a fight he was constantly waging with Sara, and a few of the others as well. But it wasn't a fight he'd ever thought he would have with Nick.

_It's not even my fight anymore._

He let out a loud sigh, and shook his head, just waiting for it to hit him. It didn't take too long for his head to start throbbing slightly, but he knew he wasn't going to be getting much sleep after his shift ended. It hurt to know that he couldn't be there for Nick. The realization that he had no idea how to even try and help Nick was beyond him as well.

Which meant that he could only hope Catherine and Warrick were paying close enough attention to him. It was a somewhat comforting thought, and he almost felt himself relax. Because he knew Catherine, and he knew Warrick.

Neither of them would just sit back and let one of their friends fall apart.

"You look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."

"Hello to you too, Catherine. What can I do for you?"

"I was just coming by. It's been awhile, ya know… thought I'd come and see how things are going on your shift."

"Things are fine." The answer was evasive, and he immediately knew that Catherine wanted more from him than that.

"I saw that Greg's been doing quite the good job lately… just a few minor mistakes here and there. And, well- Sara… I heard she's been quite a bit more reserved than usual…"

Grissom tried not to wince at the tone of her voice. But he could hear the disappointment growing with each word. It was obvious that she was hoping he'd interject, and make good use of her lengthy pauses but he didn't really know what to say.

"Gil, don't do this. I'm not here to watch your back all the time anymore. I'm trying to, but I just can't. Get your head out of the microscope, and try to keep up with things around here. If you fall too far behind you're going to get left behind, and right now it seems like you're trying to push us even farther away than we already are." She paused again, and when he didn't answer she went on, "I know you care about all of us, but damn it _Gil_- nothing is going to last forever. You don't have all the time in the world to make things right again."

* * *

He knew he was being stupid. He knew that it wouldn't solve any problems, but at the moment he just couldn't make himself care. And it definitely wasn't stopping him from ordering another beer. A five mile run, and some weight lifting had been meant to wipe him out, but even after the extensive exercising he hadn't been able to sleep.

The bar itself was quiet, and there were few people there so early in the day. He closed his eyes, willing everything to go away, hoping that he could get some rest when he finally made it home.

The sound of the door opening startled him out of his reverie, and as he heard the footsteps coming closer he knew exactly who it was. "Hey Warrick."

"Hey yourself, Nick. You know it creeps me out when you do that. Would it kill you to actually turn around and make sure that its really me first?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came for a beer. Didn't have any at home, and… well, here I am." Nick's sigh in response told him that his friend wasn't buying it. He went on in a quieter tone, "I was worried about you, alright? You're my friend Nick, and I know how much cases involving kids can get to you."

"I'm fine Warrick. I don't need you to baby-sit me."

He nearly flinched at that, but he wasn't sure if he was glad or angry that he hadn't lost his cool, and it frustrated that even though he knew what Nick had meant that he had to go and throw his own spin on the man's words. Just another event in Nick's life that was coming back to haunt him. "Okay. But… if you wanna talk, you know where to find me."

He stood, and placed a five down on the counter before moving towards the exit. "It makes me sick." He slowly turned around, not entirely sure that he hadn't simply imagined Nick saying something.

"What?"

"Kids are supposed to be innocent you know? They're not supposed to be so violent, they're not _supposed_ to lose that. That boy watched his friend die… his life is never gonna be the same. He's not going to be the person he would've been- that he _should've_ been."

"Nick, you saw four kids lose pretty much everything in a week. It's not right, and it definitely isn't fair. But that doesn't mean that they won't have a future. Innocence is a good thing, but… it's not _everything_ Nick."

"It sure feels like it is."

"Listen, man, what happened to you- that wasn't right. It shouldn't have happened, but it did. You lost a lot that night, but don't even think about sitting here and telling me that you lost everything. Look at what you _do_ have. It may not seem like much now, but you've got more than most people can ever hope to have. You have friends and family that would do absolutely _anything_ for you. That's what really matters bro. So- just… promise me that you'll remember that, okay?"

Warrick watched as Nick set his bottle down and turned away, and he thought he heard Nick take a shaky breath. "Nick?"

"I'm sorry. I, uh, I promise that I'll remember that Warrick. I will."

Neither one of them was quite sure of who he was trying to convince more, and Warrick wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know the answer. They sat in silence for a few more minutes before Nick pushed himself off his stool and headed for the door. Warrick followed silently, and stopped when Nick headed for his car.

"You mind giving an old friend a ride?"

"Yeah I'll give ya a ride home, but I think you mean 'drunk' friend."

"Same difference. Either way I'm really tired, and right now the only thing I really want to see is my bed."

"I know what you mean man…"

"You uh, want to watch a game or something later?"

"Sure Nick, I'll call you. No let's get you home, so you can get some decent sleep."

"If I didn't know better I'd say you like taking care of people."

"Picture that… I just don't wanna know what Catherine would do to me if I didn't make sure you were okay. I swear that she could scare off a pack of wolves."

"She's never scared me before."

"Yeah, that's because you're her favorite." That earned him a small laugh, and the two fell into an easy conversation as Warrick drove towards Nick's home.

All he could feel was an immense sense of relief when Warrick dropped him off and he headed inside. He liked knowing that he actually had friends that he could count on. And he knew without a doubt that both Warrick and Catherine would do anything for him. It was something he'd never experienced before, and something he wasn't willing to let go of.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Well, this one was easier to write. I know pretty much exactly where I'm going from here through Grave Danger, and I've started to organize my thoughts on the sixth season. I was going to hold off on that season, and I still might, but I'm getting the feeling that all my hopes for the show to actually resolve what happened is pretty much in vain. I'm planning on starting the final draft of my really big story soon, so if everything goes well I'll keep some updates on my profile. Thanks for the reviews, and I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. 


	42. Weeping Willows

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Hey Cath- where's the fire?"

She looked up at the voice, and almost felt herself break down under his brown eyes. Everything about him screamed that he was concerned about how she was doing. "I just… I just need to get out of here…"

"I know what you mean, but believe me, sometimes its better to just step off the tracks than try to outrun a freight train heading your way." He moved to sit down next to her bag once he noticed that the corners of her mouth were starting to curl slightly upwards. "Come on, sit down, we can talk. You know I love the sound of your voice."

That earned him a chuckle, and he decided that she wouldn't mind a little contact, so he reached out and gently took her wrist in his hand pulling her down onto the bench next to him. Before she could say a thing he had his arm around her, and was pulling her into a hug. "You wanna tell me what's wrong Catherine?"

"I wouldn't even know where to start. It's just that… Gil… I guess I just thought our friendship meant more to him than it does."

"Ah, Grissom problems, well, you're in luck- I'm an expert… or well, I at least have experience with it."

"Who doesn't? It's just that… I _need_ human contact. Lindsey is so angry all the time, and taking care of her could easily be a full time job all on it's own, and the rest of my time is spent here or sleeping… and then when I _do_ get the chance to get out it all goes right to hell."

Seeing the tears building up in her eyes Nick immediately pulled her closer, "Hey, I want you to listen to me, you didn't do anything wrong. Grissom may shut himself out, but no matter how much he denies it- he wants that contact too. He just doesn't know how to get it because he's too scared. You're human; it's only natural that you want to connect with others, and the fact that you're brave enough to accept it is… well I admire you a lot more because of that." He paused, waiting for his words to sink in.

"Everyone wants someone to love them, it's human to want to be close to others, to feel needed and even desired. I used to… well I just never said no, ya know. I was so desperate to be close to _anyone_ that it didn't matter to me if it didn't actually mean anything. And then I came here, and- well, I have you guys. You'll never know just how much you guys mean to me, and I'm just sorry that I wasn't there for you last night."

She pulled away enough so that she could meet his eyes, "You're a good friend Nick. So you weren't there last night, I know you'll always be there for me. And if you ever forget that it's a two way street… well, I'll sic Warrick on you."

"Pssh, yeah right, he's my friend, and besides, what could he do?"

"Oh, believe me, I can get him to do anything I want. I just have to sway my hips… show him who the boss is… and he's wrapped around my finger."

Nick chuckled lightly, "Well, uh, he's been telling a different story, just so you know."

"Oh really, and what would that _story_ be?"

Nick shook his head lightly, the quirked eyebrow too much for him not to laugh, "He'll never forgive me for this one… Well, let's just say he thinks you could instill fear in just about any living creature- _especially_ him."

"I think tomorrow might be a good time to try out a little experiment tomorrow… see just how _scared_ I can make him."

"Sounds like a plan, but you'd better not let him know that I caved. Although, I guess it's better to give in to a pretty face than to give in to fear…"

"Definitely, and your secret is safe with me. He'll never see it coming." She paused, and pulled a bit farther away. "Thank you, Nick. I think you just made my day."

"My pleasure, and I was serious about that rain check. I owe you a drink."

"Sure thing, oh and what were you two doing anyway?"

"Warrick thought it was a good idea to spend a day at the batting cages, getting pizza, that sort of thing. And if he hadn't bought tickets for the earliest movie possible, we would have gone with you. You know we'd never willingly pass up drinks with you."

She slowly pushed herself up, off the bench, and grabbed her bag. "Thank you Nick. And I'm holding you to that. I'll just have to wait and see when I want that drink… I'll see you tomorrow so you'd better get some rest and eat some _real_ food, or I'll make sure you regret it."

"I got it. Bye Catherine."

She smiled as she headed down the hallway, feeling better than she had in a while.

* * *

"Catherine."

She didn't even try to hold back a sigh as she turned around, "Gil." Her smile had faded away, and she could feel her irritation and frustration coming back just by looking at the man.

"I… I'm sorry. I know you tried to tell me what happened, and I know I didn't give you much of a chance. Just… be a little more careful in the future, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." She didn't bother hiding her sarcasm, but she wasn't entirely sure that Grissom would catch it anyway. With a quiet sigh she headed for the exit, hoping that her daughter would be in a good mood when she got home, and glad that Nick had helped lift her spirits. It was nice knowing that she wasn't the only one trying to look out for other people.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Whew, well, Grave Danger is up next. I essentially have it planned out, but it may be a little while before I actually get to post it. Thanks for all the reviews, it's nice knowing that people are enjoying this story. Also, I've actually started on the final draft of a large story I've been planning for quite some time, and I've made quite a bit of headway on the first chapter. I'll keep updates on my profile for those who are interested. Hope you like this chapter. 


	43. Grave Danger Part 1

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

_There weren't words for it. Terror, horror, fear weren't even close. Despair was closer, but nothing he could think of did it any justice._

_Never in his entire life had he felt so alone, so hopeless, and as he stared into his own reflection he knew that his definitions for each of those words would never be the same. _

_Because this was real fear.

* * *

_

"I'm not here as a cop."

"Then ask me like you were my daughter."

She froze, her mouth opening and closing several times. All confidence, all composure and determination was gone. Tears welled up in her eyes before she could hold them back.

"He's my friend… he's… I-I can't lose him, and h-he's done so much for me. I never would have made it this far without his help, and now I can't do a _damn thing_ for him. He's out there somewhere, right now, buried in a damn box. Please, Sam… I need the money- please just give it to me, and I swear I'll never ask you for anything again. But, I just- I can't let him down, not now, not this time…"

Their eyes met for a moment, and he didn't say a thing before he waved at a young man standing a few yards away. Without hesitation the man moved towards him, and without saying a word to Catherine he whispered what she could only assume were directions. Less than ten minutes later the man was back with a large duffle bag, and she tried to keep her hand steady as it was handed directly to her. No entirely sure of what to say she started to make her way towards the exit, only to stop when Sam finally spoke.

"I'm sorry."

Her eyes darted back to him, almost curious as to just what he was sorry for until her eyes landed once more on the bag of money. The look on Nick's face was back in the forefront of her mind and without a word she was racing for her Denali.

* * *

_There's doubt. It's slowly building, festering, tearing away at all the hope he's managed to keep with him. But no one is there to reassure him, he has no reason to even suspect that anyone even knows he's missing._

_Because all he has is the hope that Catherine, Warrick, and the others are out there looking for him- that they care enough to look for him. He knows they care about him, he knows he shouldn't doubt them, and he doesn't. He doubts himself. He doubts that anyone could truly care about him, and that those who do simply don't truly know him._

_It hurts, leaves a deep empty feeling coursing through his entire body, but he can't make it go away._

_He's not entirely sure that he deserves to be found.

* * *

_

"_What does Nick Stokes mean to you? How do you feel when you see him in that coffin? Does your soul die every time you push that button? How do you feel, knowing that there's nothing you can do to get him out of that hell? Helpless ... useless ... impotent?"_

The words echo through his mind, and he's so close to breaking down into tears that he's clenching his fists to try and distract himself. He tries to tell himself it's just another case. One that they can solve, but his mind isn't accepting the flawed logic.

Because the case has already been solved. They know who did it, and Walter Gordon is dead.

And now they've been left with absolutely nothing.

Nothing to go on, nothing to use to try and find Nick. Grissom clenches his jaw, knowing they only have so much time left. Because the webcam won't last forever, and neither will Nick's oxygen. The clock is still ticking, and he knows he's going to have to quit his job if they don't find him in time. They have to find him.

And it hurts even more, because he knows he's been on the other side of this issue. He knows that he's told each member of the team just how unlikely it is to actually get to save someone, how rare it is for them to find a missing person alive. The odds are stacked against him, against everyone. And his only hope is that Nick will be able to beat the odds just one last time.

* * *

_He doesn't know how long he's been lying there. He's not sure how many panic attacks he's tried valiantly to fight off. There's nothing to distract him, no way he can focus on anything but the foggy reflection in front of him, no way he can block out the light, no way he can ignore the dirt that surrounds his glass prison._

_He tries to make his mind wander, however briefly, hoping for the slightest reprieve. Even after a full-hearted effort to think of some good memories it just doesn't happen. All he sees are more nightmares, and the knowledge that his whole life is a living nightmare just makes things worse._

_Because it makes him wish, for the briefest second that it was Warrick in this living hell and not himself. He wishes that the coin toss had ended differently, that he was safe and above ground, still able to breathe in the cool night air._

_And as soon as he thinks it he decides that he truly loathes himself. He hates that he could even think such a thing, hates that he would actually wish someone else was in his place. His fingers slowly run along the smooth curves of the gun, and he almost picks it up. He almost ends it all, because he's almost certain that he doesn't deserve to be rescued._

_Strawberry swirl._

_That's what they'd find, and he bites his lip in hopes of repressing that memory. He knows, no matter what doubts he has just how much it would hurt them if he pulled the trigger._

_He knows that it would almost literally kill them, and he knows that he can't do that to them._

_So he leaves the gun alone. And he closes his eyes, silently praying that they'll find him soon, because they're the team, and they've never let him down when it mattered most. He has to give them a chance._

_Then the light comes back on, and he listens carefully as the fan slows down. His movements don't really register. The sickeningly sweet flavor of his gum doesn't help. Before he's really considered what he's doing he slowly pulls the gum out of his mouth and sticks it firmly into his ears. The odd feeling almost surprises him, and he wonders why his siblings never did it to him as a kid, because he can't hear a thing as he reaches for the gun. The knowledge that there was nothing to hear never once entering his mind.

* * *

_

His eyes stare in horror as he sees the hand grasping for the gun. He's confused, lost, and scared to death. Because he has no idea what's going through Nick's mind, but he has a feeling that it's not good. Every doubt in him is rearing its head, and he knows they don't have much time left. They have to find him, and it has to be soon. There's no way he's going to be able to handle much more of this.

Then the gun goes to Nick's chin and he can't stop himself from speaking out loud, the urge to will Nick not to end his life like this too strong for him to remain silent. He tries to brace himself, tries to accept the inevitable, tries to accept that Nick isn't going to make it any further. Except that Warrick fails miserably.

His eyes widen, he can't take his eyes from Nick's face. Warrick's heart is literally pounding, and he wouldn't be surprised if he'd have a massive coronary or a stroke.

The sound of a gunshot makes him scream in pure anger, cursing Nick, even though he knows he doesn't mean it. The screen is black, and his mind doesn't even think about the fact that it wouldn't go off just because Nick had shot himself. Because for that moment his best friend is actually dead to him. He feels the gut wrenching pain echoing through his whole body, and he feels like someone has just shot him through the heart, leaving a gaping hole in its wake.

And then he notices a strange green reflection on the desk. His eyes slowly travel back up to the screen and through his watery eyes he can see Nick bathed in the eerie light.

_He's still alive._

Archie casts a sympathetic glance in his direction as he bursts out of the A/V Lab, but Warrick doesn't respond. He doesn't know. None of the others know that for a brief moment his worst nightmare had come true.

Before he knows it he's sitting on the bench in the locker room, in search for a clean pair of clothes because he needs to be doing something, _anything_ more than watching Nick fall apart.

Then he looks up, so close to grabbing the clothes when he realizes just how small the locker is, memories of being shoved into lockers when he was in high school come flooding back, and he knows just how much he hated those days. Days when he had almost given up on everything his grandmother had taught him.

He wants to hit Nick. Hurt him for scaring him so badly. But really, it's because he knows the truth. He knows that he would have pulled the trigger a long time ago, probably before they had even turned on the light for the first time.

* * *

_It's darker. He can't see the dirt all around him, and there's the reassuring sound of the fan along with the slightest amount of fresh air. There isn't much for him to focus on, and he doesn't want to let his mind wander, because he knows that it would only make everything worse._

_It takes more effort than he thought was possible to force himself to control his breathing. He tries to ignore the gun lying next to his head, he tries to ignore the words on the tape but they just keep repeating themselves over and over again. There's nothing he wants more than to be able to remember some of the best times of his life, to think of anything that would make him smile. Only, when he can't do it he nearly screams out of frustration because he knows that he should be able to think of something beyond the gun at his side.

* * *

_

She's never actually wanted to truly, physically inflict pain on someone, but right now she wouldn't hesitate to commit murder. Because that voice won't leave her mind, it keeps replaying itself over and over again- taunting her. There's no sympathy for Kelly Gordon running through her. No pity for the horrendous scar on her hand.

At the moment all she wants to do is put her gun to the woman's head until she screamed out where Nick was. The thought that she _could_ actually kill someone is a surprise, but her mind is too preoccupied with the agony her friend must be in for her to care.

All she wants is for Nick to be back in the lab, safe and sound. She wants to go into the break room and see that smile, those eyes. She's never wanted anything more in her entire life.

* * *

_He hears something. It's been silent for so long that he can't help but wonder if he imagined it all. But then he hears it again. All he knows is that he can hear dirt moving, he can hear sound, and he knows that it has to be them. They found him, they're right above him, digging to set him free. Relief courses through him as he hears the sound again._

_He starts crying out, yelling to let them know he's right there. But then it happens. He raises the glow stick, in hopes that in a few seconds he'll see their faces through his glass prison._

_Except that all he sees are the spider web cracks expanding all around him, and he can only hope he'll never have to learn any more definitions for the word fear. His hands press against the glass, in hopes that the cracks will stop spreading all around him, and he barely realizes that he's begging for his prison not to collapse all around him.

* * *

_

They sit in silence. Neither one quite sure of what to say, but they're both infinitely grateful that one of the officers from the scene offered to drive them back to the lab.

All Warrick can do is sit, staring blankly out the window, praying desperately for the pieces of this puzzle to fall into place. He feels Catherine's hand take his own, and has to bite his lip to hold back a whimper. There's no need to even look over at her. He knows the exact expression on her face, and he knows just how much Nick means to her.

"We're gonna find him."

He closes his eyes, trying to block the assault of images. But he can't stop picturing his best friend holding a gun to his head as he tries to forget the oath he made so long ago. _I'm sorry, Nick… but I swear I won't let you down this time. We're gonna find you, we have to…_

"Yeah, we are…" Is all he can think to say as they race down the strip and back towards the crime lab, praying that they still have enough time. Praying that they won't be too late.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: There'll be quite a few parts to this episode, and I wanted to try a bit of a different writing style for this particular chapter. Especially since I think it was a great episode that covered practically anything, I just wanted a quick run through of the majority of the episode. The next chapter will take place closer to the end, and hopefully it won't take me too long to finish and post. Hope you all enjoyed it, and thanks for all the reviews. 


	44. Grave Danger Part 2

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

He can hear his heart pounding, eyes never leaving the road they're all but flying down. And Warrick knows that however hard Grissom steps on the gas it won't get them there fast enough for his liking.

He's sick of it all, and it's all he can do to not bounce around in his own seat. His eyes slowly look around him. Greg's hands are twiddling faster than he thought was humanly possible, and Sara's eyes are clenched as tightly as her hands, and he wonders how the arm rest is going to look after her now white knuckles finally let go. Grissom looks like he's made of steel, eyes following Brass' vehicle, and none of them had known that deep down he had a lead foot. He felt a hand slip into his, and he didn't even need to look at her.

Catherine was Nick's confidant, and they all knew just how hard this was on her. Her eyes were watery, and for a moment Warrick allowed his gaze to linger, his respect for her strength increasing by the second.

He wasn't ready for the turn. Instinct kicked in, and he quickly braced himself against the door to keep from sliding too far. It may have been foolish, but he hadn't been able to make himself buckle his seatbelt.

He quickly braced his legs against the back of the driver's seat, and his body didn't budge as Grissom finally hit the brakes. No one had a chance to say anything before he had bolted out of the car to retrieve their shovels.

* * *

_Each bite feels like a thick needle piercing into him. He knows he's been bitten before, he knows that a single bite doesn't really hurt all that badly. Except that now he's being bitten by hundreds of them, and it takes a few seconds before he decides that pain has a whole new meaning to him as well._

_He isn't sure how he remembered it, but he's never been more grateful for being able to work with Grissom in his entire life. The date, the case aren't coming to his mind, but he knows that the man had told him that staying still would make them less likely to bite._

_And that's what he does. What he tries to do. Because he's willing to do anything to make the pain just go away.

* * *

_

He can feel the guilt bearing down on him. He can feel the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he knows that he'll never look at insects quite the same way again. Grissom isn't sure if he should love them or hate them anymore. They had led them to the nursery, led them to where Nick was hopefully buried where they might find him in time. But they had also caused Nick so much pain already; they've placed another weight on his shoulders because he knows how quickly those bites can add up. He knows how quickly the venom can act, knows that Nick could quite easily die from anaphylactic shock long before they find him.

And Nick's words keep replaying themselves. Driving him onwards, because he doesn't want Nick to die thinking that he's failed anyone. He doesn't want Nick to die at all. Knowing he's the cause of so many of Nick's problems hurts, and he almost starts to cry as they search in desperation to find their friend.

* * *

_He can feel them all over his body. Their tiny little legs tracing ghostlike trails all over him. He keeps his fists clenched, tries to keep his eyes shut as they crawl over his eyelids. It's become even harder for him to breathe now that he's not only worried about air, but that too many more ants will climb into his mouth._

_Then he feels a particularly sharp prick on his eyelid, and another tear falls as he fights to retain control over his body._

_He isn't sure when it happens. All he can do is silently thank God that everything is starting to feel almost numb. That his head is feeling lighter, and the sharp pricks turn from needles into sharp pinches like the ones his sisters used to give him._

_Something in the back of his mind tells him to fight this, to stop himself from losing any more control over himself. But he knows that it'll cause more pain, and right now, making the pain go away is the most important thing he can think of.

* * *

_

His shoes pound on the dirt. He can hear her crying out, hear her voice. The words she's shouting into the night act like the perfect beacon. His shovel is already in hand, ready to go as soon as he gets to her. All fatigue is gone, the constant ache in his feet doesn't register.

Because this is it. This is his chance to make good on his promise. His chance to save Nick and redeem himself for breaking his oath.

No one speaks much, he can see Catherine, and he feels himself pick up even more speed. He can see her kneeling over, yelling into the ground.

It isn't until he gets closer that he sees the pipe she screamed into. And then she's gone. He sees the second pipe jutting out of the ground, and he goes to work. Digging faster than he ever thought he could. He doesn't stop, doesn't pause. Warrick doesn't even know who the other person helping him dig is. All he can focus on is the ground beneath his feet, and the hole they're digging as it gets deeper.

He almost doesn't hear it. But just before he plows down for another load of dirt he can hear the beeping coming from his wrist. And he freezes, his eyes never leaving his watch.

Nick's out of air.

And the thought of Nick choking, unable to draw in any more oxygen scares him terribly. No one says a thing, and he rams the shovel down again, faster. His body aches, trying in vain to protest his movement, but he won't have it. There isn't a single force in the world that would be enough to stop him from digging.

* * *

_His eyes shoot open, ignoring the ants crawling all over his face. He knows it's close. And that there just isn't much time left. It's too hard to stay still, and every movement he makes sends sharp excruciating waves of pain through his entire body._

_That's when he hears the fan slow down. In an instant he's begging, praying that he's wrong, that its just another hallucination, but when it finally comes to a complete halt and all he can hear are his own cries of pain he knows. They didn't make it, they couldn't find him._

_He knows that the air in the coffin won't last much longer. It's already becoming impossibly hard to breathe. He can feel his lungs trying to pull in whatever they can, and it's the most excruciating pain he's ever been in._

_Hope is a word that doesn't have any more meaning to him than life. All he can think about is the pain, the despair, and the knowledge that if he had deserved to be found he would have been a long time ago._

_It hurts to move, but he does his best to grit his teeth, and after what feels like an eternity of hell he feels the cool reassuring metal in his hand. Any other time he would've said that it only offered death and pain, but at the moment it offered the exact thing he wanted._

_Freedom. It was the only way he could think of to end everything. He'd end the pain, the suffering and misery. He lets out another cry of pain as he pulls the gun back to his chin, and he knows exactly what he has to do. His finger moves to the trigger, and he silently apologizes to everyone he knows._

_He's letting them down, and all he can do is hope that they never find him. That they never have to see him finally break. With another, shaky breath he closes his eyes, wincing in pain, his finger slowly tightening over the trigger. It's next to impossible to take in the oxygen he needs, and he just wants it all to end.

* * *

_

He almost freezes when he feels his shovel kick back. He thrusts it down again to make sure he isn't imagining it. His eyes flash up towards Catherine, and he can see the hope and desperation in her eyes as she rocks back and forth on her heels, unable to stay still. With only the slightest hesitation he drops down to his knees and begins to push the dirt away with his hands, praying that they aren't too late.

There's no way he'll be able to stand it if Nick isn't still breathing when they find him. His hands are shaking as they work at clearing what dirt remains between him and his friend.

Catherine calls out to Nick from behind him, and he works even more frantically as he feels the smooth Plexiglas through his gloves. His brow furrows, and he isn't even sure what he's saying because he's too intent on getting to Nick. Someone is holding a flashlight over him, illuminating everything. And then he can see him. Warrick nearly falls back in relief, because he can see that Nick's still breathing, that he's still alive.

Then he sees the gun. He sees Nick's finger tightening over the trigger, and he's scared to death that his friend is going to kill himself right there, seconds before they can save him.

He's only vaguely aware of yelling at nick to put the gun down, because the only thing he wants is to be able to get the lid off and to grab Nick's hand in his own. His eyes meet Nick's, and for that moment he can see the pain so much more clearly than ever before. The little voice in the back of his head is kicking into gear, and it's the only thing making it possible for him to think clearly enough for someone to get a fire extinguisher.

* * *

_He flinches when he finally sees the light above him. There's no memory of actually pulling the trigger, but at the moment he can't remember much of anything. All that's left is the pain, and the light. He wonders if it's the tunnel that so many people say they see when they've had near death experiences. It looks warm and inviting, something that he wants to be a part of._

_Except after a few seconds nothing changes, and he thinks he can hear someone's voice. Only he knows the voice, he knows it so well. There's emotion there, the love and relief is so palpable that he almost believes he could touch it if he reached out far enough._

_He doesn't even realize what he's doing as he drops the gun, but the voice is still there, and it's the most comforting thing he's ever remembered feeling._

_The next thing he knows something cold and foggy is blasting all over him, and when the sharps stings of the ant bites stop he wonders why he was so scared to die.

* * *

_

Warrick immediately moved to push against the lid. His fingers were wrapped around the edges, ready to lift up, and he can see the eager look in Nick's eyes to get out of this hell. Except then he can hear Catherine's voice, yelling, shouting instructions, and its only the tone of her voice that makes her voice break through enough so that he can understand her.

And once he does he wishes he never had. Because it means he has to get out of the hole, it means he has to leave Nick alone in his hell when they were so close to freeing him. And even worse is because it means that getting Nick out has suddenly become far more complicated; far too dangerous for any action to be followed through too quickly.

He puts up a valiant protest, fights tooth and nail, until he hears Grissom telling him to get out of the hole. There's some edge of reason in his tone, and though he doesn't know why he trusts the man enough to start climbing towards Catherine as he casts one last, longing look at Nick before he's too far away to see his friend's face clearly. It doesn't stop him from hearing Nick's cries as clearly as he could hear a gunshot, or the bullet ripping right through his heart at that sound.

* * *

_He breaks out into a sudden flurry of movement, his arms pounding against the glass above him._

_His eyes overflow with tears, more cries escape from his parched mouth, and all he wants is to see Warrick's face again. He doesn't understand why Warrick could leave him; wondering for a moment if its because they're ashamed of him. If that was the case he couldn't blame them, he knows any of them could've made it through this without breaking down so far that they'd have tried to kill themselves. They're not that weak, not that pathetic._

_And he wishes that he had never come to the realization that he was still alive. He wants it to be another nightmare, just another bad dream. His fists pound on the glass above him even more, except he doesn't do it because he wants out, he keeps pounding away because he just doesn't know how else to let out all the emotions that have been boiling up in him for so long._

_Then he sees Grissom's face appear through the thick glass, and he breaks down even more because he swears that he can see the disappointment in those eyes. Deep down he knows he's still begging to be let out, hoping that if they save him it might mean that his life has some meaning, some value to it._

_Except when the first word that Grissom has been saying that actually registers in his mind is Pancho, he nearly freezes. It makes him wonder just how disappointed and ashamed his family is of him for this. He can't help but wonder if he's screwed up so badly that the others can't even look at him anymore._

_Though he can't exactly be sure why he forces himself to at least try to listen to what his old supervisor is telling him. He places his hand to where Grissom's own is pressed, the only thing between them is the solid piece of glass. And the next thing he knows is that he's making a promise. He knows that Grissom wants him to stay lying down, to stay in the coffin, but for the life of him he doesn't understand why. All he can do is nod his head and comply, because he's sick of being the screw up, and even sicker of being a disappointment to everybody he knows.

* * *

_

Warrick doesn't stay back when he sees Grissom go to lift the lid. His heart is pounding in his chest, and he knows there are tears in his eyes as he blindly reaches for Nick. The other man's shaking hand finds his first, clinging to it as though Warrick was a lifeline, the bloodied knuckles were noticeably whiter, and Warrick fought back the wince as he felt the fingers dig into his arm hard enough to leave bruises.

But he didn't care, because he was with Nick now, they had him back. He was alive, and Warrick was intent on making him stay that way. His voice is weak and trembling, but he can see that his words are at least slightly soothing to the man and that makes it worth the effort.

* * *

_He watches in confusion as the carabiner is fastened to his belt. But Warrick's voice is still there, his hand still holding onto him, and he hopes that the sound of his friend's voice means that they do care. That they truly want to save him, but even more importantly, that they think he's worth saving._

_It isn't really the words he clings to as he watches the back ho move in position over him. It's the hope he can feel in their voices, and he hopes it's going to be enough as he feels the dirt cover him in a single second. Because for that moment the only thing he has to fight the fear that they've just buried him again without the glass lid to make sure he would finally die is the hope that he's been missing ever since he woke up and hit his head._

_The sensation that courses through his entire body as the rope pulls taunt, almost reminds him of paragliding, except that when he finally came to a landing it didn't hurt nearly as much._

_His entire body is trembling, and if his eyes hadn't been so dried out he knows he'd be crying harder than he ever has. Right now the feel of dirt beneath his fingers and not above them is one of the greatest feelings he's ever had, and while the air is still little more than a cloud of dirt he can still breathe, still feel the coolness of the night air, where the only smell isn't the stench of his own sweat.

* * *

_

They stare for a moment, not entirely sure if Nick's okay or not. No one moves as they watch, waiting for the cloud to clear a bit more. They're practically in a state of shock, unsure if they truly believe that this nightmare is finally over, unsure if Nick is actually going to make it.

The sight of Nick trembling finally breaks Warrick free from his stupor, and in that second he's racing towards his friend. The need to reassure himself that his best friend is still alive is more than enough to give him the strength to stop himself from collapsing before it's fulfilled.

And he does his best to wrap his mind around the fact that they saved him, and that Nick is still alive. At the moment nothing else matters.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: I'm not sure exactly how many more parts there are going to be, but I'm sure it will be at least three, but probably more at the rate I'm going right now. I decided to stick with pretty much the same style that I had in the last chapter, to carry it through most of the episode itself. I hope this was worth the wait, since I know a lot of you have been looking forward to these chapters for quite a while now. Thanks for all the reviews- they've really helped to keep me going with this story. 


	45. Grave Danger Part 3

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

It was too hard to move. Dirt was everywhere, and it hurt to even breathe. Every muscle in his body felt sore, the aching throbs made him want to cry out in pain. Only their wasn't enough air in his lungs for him to do so. Through his blurred vision he thought he could make out at least several people standing a few yards away, watching him.

Nick wasn't sure what he was trying to accomplish, but he couldn't stop his arm from slowly reaching out towards the dark silhouettes. The only thing that he could see clearly was his hand, the dark blotches of the ant bites standing out in stark contrast from his pale skin. He wasn't sure if it was his hand that was shaking or if his vision was swimming.

He pulled himself closer to the figures that were just standing there, until he felt what little was left of his strength give out and his entire body crumpled back down, his head lying flat on the rough ground.

* * *

Warrick didn't know how long it took them to break out of their daze. All he knew was that it had taken too long. His eyes widened for a moment before he sprinted as fast as he could towards the trembling body of his best friend. He shoes skidded in the dirt, raising another small cloud as he let himself slide down to the ground. 

Except once he got closer he wasn't entirely sure of what to do. Every bit of skin he could see was literally covered with bites, and then there were the scrapes and cuts from hitting the ground. His eyes widened slightly, and it wasn't until he saw Catherine drop down next to him, and ever so gently cradle his head in her arms that he dared to touch him.

Feeling the cold, quivering fingers clamping around his hand brought tears to his eyes, and it was all he could do to not lose what control he had left. The last thing Nick needed was his friend to cause him even more pain.

His eyes drifted towards Nick's face, it was nestled against the soft fabric of Catherine's blouse, and he couldn't help but watch as she offered him a type of comfort that Warrick just couldn't give. The way she had him carefully wrapped in her arms, the way she was softly wiping away his tears. How she was trying her best to keep him relatively calm. Her voice offering quiet reassurement that he was safe- that he was alive.

And then the paramedics are there, he's pushed away, and he can only watch as they gingerly lift Nick onto the gurney. He watches as Catherine never once breaks contact. Her need to hold him, her need to know that he is actually there is blatantly obvious to everyone, but no one can blame her.

The next thing he knows they're at the ambulance. He notices how badly Catherine's hands are fidgeting now that she can't hold onto Nick. They don't waste any time climbing in after the paramedics get Nick into place. And the second he sees his friend's hand reach out for someone to grab he lunges. Because he has that same need, he has to know that Nick is still there, still breathing.

The knowledge that things could have turned out far differently keeps preying on his mind, and all he can do is wish that it had been him in that grave.

Then he sees Nick's lips moving under the oxygen mask, sees more tears forming in Nick's eyes.

Only, once he thinks he hears the mantra Nick is repeating he wishes he hadn't. The last thing he wants to know is how sorry his friend is. He tries to offer some reassuring words, tries to get nick to understand that he shouldn't be ashamed, but it's too obvious that none of his words are actually getting through to Nick.

* * *

He cringes as he walks towards the waiting room. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why _he_ was here, of all people. His eyes take in the scene, and it makes him even more nervous. Even after two days the whole team is still there, still waiting to see him. The sight of Nick's parents in the far corner, clinging to each other for dear life wants to make him run for the hills before they see him. 

They don't understand, and he doesn't either, because it simply doesn't make sense. Nick has only been awake for a for hours now, and he hasn't let anyone into his room beyond the doctor and a few nurses. That much he had learned from the other techs in the lab.

This was definitely not something he was comfortable with doing. He didn't want to go in there, he didn't want to see their faces. All he could do was silently curse Nick for doing this to him.

_Well, here goes nothing_…

He pushed the door open quietly, and while he wished he could've made it through without being seen it didn't work. Warrick was the first to see him, and the look of confusion and anger in his eyes nearly made him turn around and run right back to the lab. Their eyes were all focused on him, and he could see the pain and anger in each of them.

"I know this isn't much consolation, but I have no idea why he's asking for me."

It's the most he can offer before he sees the doctor standing in the hallway. No one says a thing as he moves to follow the man down the hall, and his heart is racing a mile a minute as he's led into Nick's room.

* * *

"Hodges." 

"Stokes." He answers, trying to be himself, trying to keep his voice steady when he's scared to death. After a few minutes the awkward silence hanging over them makes him pipe up again, "So, uh… there's a lot of people who really want to see you right about now. And, uh, as honored as I am that you asked for me, I can't help but ask why _me_ of all people…"

Hodges stops, his eyes taking in Nick's haggard appearance, but he can only see the reflection of the man's face in the window. And he can't blame Nick for not wanting anyone to see him if the bites on the back of his arms are as bad as those on his face.

"I…" the voice is weak, shaky, and nothing like Nick's ever sounded like to him before, it's so bad that he can feel tears trying to build up in his eyes. But he knows he won't cry, not now, not when Nick needs someone to be strong. "I need to know… I need to know everything that happened while… while I was… I want to know how you guys found me."

That made him pause for at least a minute before he spoke again, "Well, anyone could do that…"

"No. They… I know them, and they'll leave stuff out, they won't tell me everything that they know. I don't want to be protected right now, and… and I thought that you'd tell me. That you'd tell me everything you could."

"Are you sure… is this, uh, _really_ gonna help?" He's stalling, and they both know it, but the last thing he wants to do is make things worse. And if there are things that the team wouldn't tell Nick he isn't sure anyone should do so. Except before he can even try to put his thoughts on this whole situation Nick turns around, and he can't make those words come out.

His face is littered with the dark bites. There's a long trail of fresh tears o his cheeks, and the worst part of all are his eyes. They look empty, sad, and completely lonely. Nick's shoulders are slouched, in fact, the man's entire body seems to be limp, as if gravity was acting so much stronger on him than the rest of the world. And before he begins, he already knows that he won't be able to make himself lie.

He speaks slowly, trying to focus on everything they did to find Nick. It hurts for him to hear how cold he sounds at times, and he feels like the biggest dirt bag that's ever lived when he sees the man curl up into a small ball on the bed. He wants to hit himself for telling Nick all about the webcam, telling him all about Walter Gordon, the ransom money Catherine had come up with, Kelly Gordon's interview, the dog that Greg and Warrick had found, how Warrick had thought Nick had killed himself when he'd shot the light out, how Grissom and Sara had found the nursery.

He could guess what was the hardest for Nick to hear, he could see how much it hurt him to know that they had seen his every move over the camera. Most of all he was beginning to wish that he'd come to Vegas with a different attitude, wished that he hadn't been the one Nick had asked to do this. The only way he could make himself continue to speak was by hoping that it was like taking off a band-aid. It was best to just tear it off and be done.

And he had no idea how he could lie to a man that had just gone through a hell that no one else in Vegas could even begin to dream of.

His eyes glanced up towards the clock when he finished, and he bit his lip. It'd taken well over two hours to recount everything that he could think of. The only sound in the room were Nick's sobs. It definitely wasn't a situation that David Hodges was prepared to deal with. It was hard enough to comfort a woman, but a guy like Nick breaking down wasn't exactly something that happened everyday. So he figured he'd try and do what Catherine would do, and that he'd just tone it down a couple of notches. Which is exactly how he found himself awkwardly patting Nick on the back before he burst out of the room unable to handle that scene any longer.

The barrage of questions he faced once he was back in the waiting room weren't a surprise.

And he could hear the shock in their voices when he told them what he had just done. Warrick shoving him back against the nearest wall wasn't a surprise either, but he was slightly surprised when Catherine held Warrick's other hand, successfully preventing the punch he knew had been coming.

"Let him down, Warrick. He was doing what Nick wanted him to do. We just have to give him some time to cope with this. What he's been through… he deserved to know the whole truth about how we found him, and if Hodges could do that- then so be it." She paused, and both men knew how hard it was for her to get these words out, "We can get past this, Warrick, we just gotta give Nick some time."

David sighed in relief when Warrick backed away from him, and he didn't waste any time heading for the nearest exit. And just before he pushed his way out the door he could hear Warrick answering her.

"Yeah… I know- I just… I want to make things right again."

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: I thought this offered a different perspective on the immediate aftermath of Grave Danger. It just seems like Nick would've needed some time before being able to face the team, and that he would've wanted to know everything that had happened in the lab while he was buried. Therefore I chose Hodges, because he seemed like a character that wouldn't hold that type of information back. Hope you enjoyed it, and thanks once more for the reviews. 


	46. Grave Danger Part 4

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

"Nick… please- just open the door."

She rapped her hand against the door again, before she finally let out a sigh of frustration. Her shoulders drooped slightly as she turned and leaned against the wall, slowly lowering herself to the ground.

He had been released from the hospital two day ago, and she could count exactly how long any of them had gotten the chance to see him since he had first woken up on a single hand. Four minutes, four lousy minutes before he had had a severe panic attack.

They'd barely had a chance to say hello. It hurt to think that he wouldn't see them, and she knew she was actually handling it better than the others. Nick's parents had been so upset that they had taken the first possible flight back to Texas. Warrick had been frustrated so badly that he'd given up as soon as Nick had been released from the hospital and hadn't called anyone. Hearing it from Nick's doctor hadn't gone over well with any of them.

As for the others, Sara had started working as much overtime as possible, Greg hadn't cracked a joke in days, and Grissom had essentially shut himself in his office. Leaving her, Brass, a few lab techs, and a couple of detectives to try to coax Nick out of his home.

And while Catherine wished she could attribute Nick's actions to the fact that he didn't want people to see his face with the bites she knew it wasn't the only reason.

She hated everything this had done, and was doing to the team, to each of them both as a group and as individuals. Nick had an amazing talent at helping others when they needed it most, which made her feel even worse because the time when he needed them most they couldn't do a single thing for him. Catherine wasn't a fool, she had absolutely no idea how to go about helping Nick to try and cope with this. This was a whole new league of pain that they had never really been exposed to before.

It wasn't possible for her to know what he was going through, and she doubted anyone would ever know. And she knew that he was still in a tremendous amount of pain already.

At the moment all she wanted to do was pull Nick into a hug and never let go. She wanted to conspire with him and pull a fast one on Warrick, she wanted to tease him, joke around with him. She wanted to work with him again, listen to him go off on a random spiel about some bird, wanted to take him out on the town for a few drinks.

That thought made her pause, and before she could really register what she was doing she was up and knocking on the door again.

"Nick- I _know_ you can hear me. Listen, you may not want to see me, but you made a promise, and I intend for that promise to be fulfilled…" She wasn't sure if it was right to be playing on Nick's loyalty and dependability like this, but if it got him to open the door she knew she wouldn't care. Maybe it wasn't fair to use his need to keep promises against him, but the more she thought about it the more she thought it just might work.

The sound of someone moving on the other side of the door motivated her even more. "You remember, don't you? Come on Nicky, it was a few weeks ago… you owe me a drink."

She paused, her fingers actually crossing as she waited, hoping for some sort of a response. A few more minutes passed by in silence. As soon as the tears started to build up in her eyes she knew it wasn't going to work. It may have taken a bit longer than the others, but Catherine felt like she had finally reached the end of her rope.

She quickly wiped her eyes before turning and heading back towards her car.

"A drink, huh?"

She almost hadn't heard him. But when she turned around and saw him standing in his doorway with tears in his eyes she couldn't do much more than nod. Her eyes never left his as she moved back towards the door. As gently as possible she trailed her hand along his cheek, careful not to irritate his skin even more. "Yeah."

"I think I, uh, can manage that." He knows his response is timid, but he can't help but feel scared. He has no idea how to react to all the emotions that have been building up inside of him.

It hurt to stay isolated, but he was too ashamed to see any of them. Too ashamed to let any of them see him. Every time he tried to pick up the phone to call someone he got scared, and started rambling off the reasons why he shouldn't dial a number. It had taken over an hour for him to build up the courage to ask his doctor to call the Lab and ask for Hodges.

Nick surprised himself when he held it together long enough to grab two beers from his fridge. By the time he made it back into his living room Catherine was already sitting on the couch.

She was almost surprised by the fact that Nick's home was so clean. Catherine had expected something, some blatantly obvious sign that he was falling apart. Although she had to admit that it didn't really mean anything. He wasn't allowed to work, and that meant he had a lot of time on his hands. Time that, she figured, was mostly spent trying to piece his life back together, or to try his best to ignore everything that had happened to him in the past few days.

They sat in silence for a moment, neither one really knowing what to say. After a few minutes Catherine offered Nick a small smile before setting her beer down. Not quite knowing what to do, Nick simply followed suit.

Except that the moment her hand touched his, the tears started building up again. It had been the first time since he'd been in the hospital since another person had touched him. Before he knew it his entire body was trembling, and he could feel himself starting to fall apart.

"It's okay, Nick, just let go, just let it out…"

Her voice was so soft, so sweet and caring that he couldn't do anything but let the tears fall. He didn't fight them off, didn't try to stay strong or even attempt to keep his walls and defenses up for as long as he could. When the warm arms closed around him he let her slowly pull him closer. It made him feel safe, as if everything could actually be fixed.

That little beacon of hope was something he hadn't thought he'd ever feel again.

Catherine simply sat there, holding onto to him as if both their lives depended on it. Her eyes never wandered to the clock on his wall, they never once left the quivering man she was still holding. After a while she started to rock him, back and forth, ever so slowly, hoping the slight motion might offer some more comfort. It was the only thing she could think of to do, and by the way Nick held onto her hands she had the feeling that he needed it just as much as she did.

They still had time, time to fix things, to set everything right. Because he was safe, he was still alive, even if it was near impossible to constantly remember that.

"You didn't…"

She paused, when he turned towards her, their eyes locking for a moment before he slowly sat back up. He had whispered the words, his voice still unsteady. She wasn't sure how long they had been there, but there was a sense of relief when she noted that he was crying anymore.

"What?" It was all she could think of to say, and her gut twisted slightly, hoping she hadn't done something wrong.

Nick didn't answer immediately, he turned away slightly, unsure if he should say something. He couldn't pinpoint the exact reason he didn't want to talk about how he was feeling, but it wasn't hard for him to figure that at least a part of him was afraid. There were so many things he was feeling, things that he had felt, and far too many were things he figured he shouldn't feel.

"It's okay, Nick. Whatever you want to say… it's okay to go ahead and say it."

There was that soft, calming voice again, and he couldn't stop himself. "You didn't quit." When he saw the questioning look on her face he let out a shaky sigh and went on, "The others… they tried for a few days, but you- you kept on trying to see me. And I-I just… want to know why."

For a moment she considered telling him that he was being stupid, that his insecurity and his doubt in himself was flat out foolish. But she knew better, because if the look in his eyes told her anything, it told her that he thought he was stupid for even thinking about this.

"I've come a long way Nick. It wasn't easy, but I've made it this far, and I can actually wake up and look at myself in the mirror now… You helped me make it through all those hard times, and you taught me something Nick. You taught me that everyone needs… _somebody_ to be there for them- that includes you. I don't know what to do, I _definitely _don't know what to say, but I _do_ want to be here for you, and I want you to know that you can always come to me, for anything."

The corners of his lips twisted up ever so slightly. It wasn't a smile, wasn't even a grin, but it was still there, still noticeable. He gently reached out towards her, and ran his fingers lightly through her hair. "I think you're doing a damn good job so far."

"I'm glad you think so."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before she noticed Nick had turned so that he wasn't really facing her anymore. Not entirely sure if something was wrong she moved just enough to see more tears trailing along his cheek. Before she could stop herself she carefully wiped the cheek closest to him.

"I wanted to die."

She felt her blood freeze, her arm go limp, the air around her seemed frigid even though it was sweltering outside. The silence fell between them again, except this time it was anything but comfortable. Catherine desperately wanted to tell him that it wasn't true, that he didn't mean it, but she knew that it had to be, that Nick wouldn't lie or joke about this.

"I've practically spent my entire life feeling ashamed of myself… and not once… _not once_ has it ever felt like this."

"Hey… _hey_, come on, Nick- it'll get better, you can get past this-"

"_How_? How in the _hell_ can I get _past this_? I was gonna do it. I was _so_ close to pulling that trigger… everything would've been- it would've been better for everyone if you just hadn't found me."

"Don't do this to yourself, _please_- not now. Not after all this… You're _alive_, dammit. I know this isn't just going to go away, I wish it could, but it can't. Let me help you, Nick, you _can_ get past this, you can move on with your life… just- give me a chance…"

"I-" His voice faltered, and he had to take a deep breath before he went on, "I-I just it all to… to go away."

"Hey, come here…" her arms slowly wrapped around him once more as he broke down into quiet sobs. Seeing Nick so broken down was breaking her heart, and it was all she could do to keep herself together. Catherine gently pulled him closer, cradling him as close as she possibly could. "Whatever happens to you- whatever you do- I'll never be ashamed of you. And Nick…you don't have to face this alone. Remember that okay?"

It was all he could do to nod ever so slightly in response. He wanted to believe her, believe what she was saying. And Nick knew that either way, his emotions were way to out of control for him to pull back from her now, not when she was giving him the one thing he had wished for in years.

The sweet, subtle perfume, the warm hands, the mere comfort of being so close to another person was overwhelming. He almost felt normal, almost felt like the past few days had never happened. It offered a sense of relief that he'd never thought he'd feel again, because it offered the possibility that this wasn't really the end.

That he was still alive.

Before he knew it his eyes were drifting closer to sleep than he'd been since he'd been sedated in the hospital. It wasn't much longer before he finally gave in.

She almost smiled when his breathing evened out. The bites on his face, the dark circles under his eyes made her want to cry, but as she watched him she couldn't help but notice that through it all he looked better than he had when he'd answered the door.

Catherine wasn't a fool. Things weren't perfect, they weren't even good. The next few months, possibly even years were going to be fraught with problems. It would probably prove to be the toughest time of Nick's entire life. Nothing would even resemble normal for a long time.

But as she held Nick in her arms, listened to his somewhat steady breathing, looked at his face, at the near peaceful expression there, she knew there was at least some hope that they could make it. She just hoped that no one got left behind, and for the moment forced herself to quit thinking about the future.

Because, at the moment, Nick was what mattered.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Here it is, another section to Grave Danger. I'm not entirely sure what the next part will cover, but I'm getting closer to reaching the whole Kelly Gordon scene. And, in case you didn't notice, this chapter was really the major reason I did Weeping Willows. It seemed like a good way to get him to see someone. Hope you enjoyed, and I'd like to know your thoughts, as always. Thanks for all the reviews- they are extremely appreciated, and have been _really_ helpful in keeping me motivated to keep these chapters coming.


	47. Grave Danger Part 5

**Out of Harm's Way

* * *

**

He was exhausted.

Somewhere, in the back of his mind their was a voice telling him that he was being stupid, that he wasn't being logical, and definitely wasn't being healthy. But he couldn't make himself care.

He'd been working himself as hard as he could, putting in as much overtime as possible. Working until he was so tired that when he got home all he'd be able to do was sleep. Except that the intended dreamless sleep wasn't coming. Too many scenarios would play themselves out in his dreams. All the unspoken 'what ifs' turned into a reality that he could rarely escape.

Warrick knew he wouldn't make it much longer.

It felt like someone was tearing him apart, and it nearly killed him when he thought about Nick.

The man who had always been there for him, and that made Warrick feel even worse. Because Nick had already been through so much. Through hells that Warrick couldn't comprehend, and it made him sick to think that he hadn't been there for his friend as much as he should have been.

Everything was crumbling all around him. He couldn't help but feel a little grateful that he hadn't seen Nick, hadn't spoken to him since the ambulance. It meant that he didn't have to face what happened, didn't have to voice the fact that for a moment he'd been glad that it hadn't been him in that box.

Warrick cursed quietly, before rolling over onto his side. There was no way he'd be falling asleep anytime soon. The thought that he needed rest didn't even enter his mind. At the moment he just wanted to beat himself so badly that he wouldn't be able to move. Because friends weren't supposed to be glad that they were safe while the other was suffering through the unthinkable. And he hated himself for feeling relieved that he hadn't seen Nick, that he hadn't had to deal with anything.

He closed his eyes tightly, trying to make himself relax. Though he wasn't sure how long it was, he guessed it had to have been at least an hour since he'd tried to go to sleep. His weariness was catching up to him, and he sighed quietly in relief as he started to fall asleep.

* * *

Warrick barely held back the string of curses when he heard someone knocking on his door, but that didn't stop the loud groan. His eyes glanced over to his clock, and the realization that he'd only been asleep for twenty minutes just made everything worse.

As he quickly pulled on a shirt and a pair of sweats he was already coming up with a long list of profanities that he really wanted to let loose. Even as he was heading down the hallway towards his front door he kept expanding that list.

He swung the door open wide, ready to give the person on the other side of the door hell. But the second he saw the trembling man standing there he froze. Nearly every inch of the man's skin was covered; his hands were in his pockets, his jacket pulled up to cover his neck and lower portion of his face, while a pair of large sunglasses hid his eyes, and a baseball cap hid even more. Except it wasn't quite enough to hid the few bites that were still visible on his face.

"Nick…" His voice trailed off, not entirely sure of what to say. He wasn't entirely sure what he expected, but then again he'd been avoiding thinking about all of this. They stood there, in silence, for several minutes before Warrick even thought to open the screen door to let Nick in.

He flinched slightly when Nick slowly walked past him, the man struggling to keep his legs under him. The way his knees were wobbling, and his arms were shaking was enough to make Warrick feel sick to his stomach.

"Can, I, uh… get you anything?" Nick quickly shook his head as he carefully lowered himself down onto Warrick's couch. The entire room was engulfed in silence, and for the first time in his life Warrick actually felt he understood how deafening it could be. "Yeah- uh… I guess we have quite a bit to talk about-" he paused, turning towards Nick when he noticed that he was still wearing the sunglasses. "You know… this might be, uh, easier if I can actually see you."

He did his best to ignore the bites that littered Nick's hand as he slowly reached up to take the glasses off. Warrick turned a bit more, and forced himself to look at his friend's face. He didn't quite manage to repress his shudder when he saw how swollen Nick's left eye had become. It was an action that Nick didn't miss, and in an instant the glasses were back on, his face turning away from Warrick even more.

"I… I'm sorry."

The words made Warrick's blood freeze. Even though he couldn't see Nick's eyes he knew exactly what he'd find there if he could. The way his breathing had quickened, the shorter, uneven breaths were a dead giveaway that he was either already crying or was about to. "No, _no way_ man- you don't have a thing to-"

"I should probably get g-going."

No way bro- just sit down. Damn- _I'm_ sorry- it's just- what the hell happened to your eye?"

"It's… it's nothing, I just- I, uh, freaked out. And then this bite on my eyelid started to itch- and I just couldn't stop scratching."

"D-does it… shouldn't you get it checked out?" He wasn't sure if it was a smart move to suggest that Nick should spend even more time in a hospital. Especially when it was clear that Nick was ready to bolt.

"No, uh, Catherine already took me- it'll be fine in a few days. She, uh, came to see me earlier- told me I owed her a drink… God Warrick- I just… I don't know what to do." His voice was getting weaker. "I feel so- I can't even say it. I just, I need-" Nick forced himself to take several deep breaths before he finished, "I need you to promise me th-that you'll always be my friend…"

Instinct told him to tell Nick that he was being stupid. To say that it was obvious that they'd always be friends, but he could tell by that voice that this was something Nick needed. "Nick- of course you'll always be my friend… I-I promise."

He didn't have much time to ready himself for Nick to turn and fall towards him. The hug was somewhat awkward, when all Warrick really wanted to do was hold on as tightly as possible. It didn't last long before Nick pulled back, rubbing his hands around his eyes beneath the black lenses. His hands reach out, and he let his instincts take over as he took the sunglasses off.

"You don't have to hide- especially from me- alright?" Nick nodded slightly. There were so many emotions in his eye that made Warrick want to kill Walter Gordon himself for putting them there when things had been getting better. Now he felt as though for the few steps they'd taken towards the top of a hill Nick had just fallen all the way back down. And the one thing he wanted even more, was to make that look go away.

He didn't hold back as he wrapped his arms around Nick, clinging to him as if the man might just slip away. There was a small sense of relief when he felt two trembling, and still surprisingly strong, arms wrap around him.

There was something about the hug that was different. Warrick wasn't holding back, he wasn't being careful. The bites weren't itching, and he actually felt comfortable. He felt safe. That was something Catherine had just barely fallen short of. It wasn't something he was used to feeling, but definitely something that he wanted almost more than anything.

Nick wasn't a fool, he knew that they hadn't really solved anything, that there were still issues that would probably need to be dealt with. But at the moment he just didn't care. He'd gotten more than he had expected, and was even more grateful for the fact that Catherine had begged him for over two hours to see Warrick.

"And hey… this is a promise we can actually follow through on…"

Warrick offered a small smile, even though it was forced it did get Nick's lips to curl upwards ever so slightly. "Yeah. Yeah it is."

It was something of a relief. He could still feel the guilt hanging over him, and it hurt to know that he couldn't keep Nick out of harm's way. It was a favor that Nick wouldn't always be there to return either.

And at the moment, having a promise that he could keep, an oath that he wouldn't break made him feel like a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Warrick hoped that it was doing the same for Nick.

In the meantime, he knew he wouldn't be letting go anytime soon. Because for the first time in days he finally had a little glimmer of hope that Nick might be able to pull through this too.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: Not much to say right now, but to thank everyone for the reviews- I really appreciate hearing what you think about my stories. Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, and hopefully I'll get the next part done sometime fairly soon, I'm not entirely sure, but I'm thinking the next part will be with Kelly Gordon. If you have any ideas let me know. 


	48. Grave Danger Part 6

* * *

It's hard at times to discern what's real and what's not.

At times his memory is far too clear for his own liking. Other times he can't actually focus on any single thought, and everything becomes one big mess of garbled emotions and thoughts all fighting for control. There's a constant barrage of questions, and he's done his best to avoid them altogether.

Except that one just keeps popping up every time he's trying his best to forget everything. Which is exactly how he ended up in the passenger seat of Hodges' car.

Because, after so much time, trying to be convinced by the file he'd studied to the point of memorizing every little detail just wasn't enough. He needed the truth; straight from the horse's mouth, no matter how much it would hurt.

It had helped knowing that he could count on both Catherine and Warrick, even though he rarely talked about _it_ with them. Some things were best left unspoken, and he refused to bring that kind of pain onto the people he called his friends- his family. Warrick's reaction hadn't surprised him in the least.

Nick hadn't once expected Warrick to understand why he needed to see her. He hadn't even waited around to let his friend's go from livid to angry. Catherine hadn't been much better, her voice still echoing in his mind. Begging him not to go, begging him not to get himself hurt.

There was reason for their concern. He wasn't ignorant- the interview between Sara and Kelly Gordon had already been thoroughly memorized to the point where he could actually recite it if he wanted to do so.

Maybe there was even a bit of hope there. Nothing could make what he'd gone through any easier, but the possibility that it could've been done out of love seemed like it might make everything easier to accept. Easier to deal with. It was foolish, but he wanted, _needed_, a face to put on this. To make it personal, to make it something he felt like he had a right to react to.

Without even glancing sideways, he knew Hodges was uncomfortable with this. The Lab Tech was putting himself on the line here, because no one wanted Nick to do this. There'd practically been an intervention, which Nick had found to be incredibly ironic as the majority of people there hadn't spoken to Nick since well before _it_ had happened. And it turned out that he'd simply watched from his bedroom window, hiding behind the blinds. After a few minutes most of them had gone.

From there, he'd snuck out the back, and called one of the people that hadn't been there. While Hodges' had been understandably wary of agreeing to another request after having his ass chewed out by the entire nightshift, and Warrick, for telling him everything.

Which was exactly how he'd ended up here, staring at the rows of Plexiglas panels. The only thing separating him from all sorts of criminals. Some of which he'd put in this hellhole. And he tried his best to shrink into his jacket, to keep anyone from really seeing him.

Being in public was bad enough. He'd had more panic attacks just from getting his paper in the morning than he'd care to admit, and that pissed him off. Because something as simple as walking outside to grab a newspaper shouldn't be enough to inspire an unavoidable tremor of fear to course through him. It shouldn't make him feel so vulnerable.

This is worse, because he can see those panels cracking. He can see those hateful eyes of the inmates waiting to take him out, and the fact that the only things he can see clearly are their eyes doesn't help, because his mind fills the gaps with dirt. It doesn't take long for him to feel like everything around him is going to crumble, and there's already that hot stinging building up behind his eyes. He doesn't want to break down though, especially not with all those eyes following his every move.

So he does what any self-respecting man does. He quickly bites down on his lower lip, forcing them back down. It's not what he needs right now. Not when he's managed to keep the tears in, only breaking down in front of Hodges, Catherine, and finally Warrick. He's still far too terrified to see the others. He doesn't want to see Greg and Sara even more depressed than they have been. Doesn't want to see the pity or disgust in the faces of the lab techs and the detectives.

Doesn't want to see the disappointment in Grissom's eyes.

Suddenly he's being directed to a small seat. The hard plastic is uncomfortable, irritating the bites on his lower back to the point where he tries to lean forward to ease the discomfort. He knows he's not ready for this confrontation yet, but he also knows that's part of why he's even here. It's highly unlikely that he'll ever be ready.

So he forges ahead, hoping that he'll be able to tread water throughout the hurricane that's sure to follow.

And before he can change his mind, before he can actually shift anymore in his seat, there's a fairly young blonde moving to sit on the other side of the partition. He pauses for a moment, trying to see just what she might have looked like if she'd never been put in prison. Tries to imagine her smiling, those dull eyes lighting up, and when he does, he actually thinks that she could be considered pretty, possibly a nice girl.

"_I hope he dies."_

Then he can't see that image anymore, and it's replaced by an image of Sara trying to hold herself together, trying not to strangle the woman. Just by looking at her, he knows that he'll never see anything but those dead eyes, the slight frown.

Their conversation doesn't last long. Partly because Nick is trying not to react to the proximity of the glass, and the slight reflection of himself. But mostly because he has no idea what to say, let alone what he even came here for. He tells her not to take it with her, even though he knows it's pointless. People can't just let stuff go.

But, for some reason, he needs her to know that he doesn't blame her for what her father did to him. Wants her to understand that he's even trying to forgive her father. Except he's pretty sure he fails miserably at that, and he sincerely hopes that her life isn't ruined for forever.

Almost just as quickly as his thoughts have been racing their conversation is over. She's hung up, and he can see her blond hair as she walks away. Its weird, because he's so used to seeing Sara and Catherine, as well as the female lab techs walking. Any woman actually, and he can't remember a single woman he's ever met who's been able to move without the hair jostling, swaying, just _moving_.

Until her. And he wonders if that's another sign of how little life there actually is left in the woman after everything that's happened. The sting is back, and he doesn't waste anytime fleeing from the chair, trying his hardest not to run out of the room. Running draws attention, as do tears, and that's the last thing he wants.

He wants to disappear. Wants everything to stop.

He wants the pain to go away, no matter what it takes. His hands quickly swipe at his eyes before he decides to put on the sunglasses. At the moment he just wants to see the sun, to be immersed in blinding white light, trying to quell the thoughts that keep popping up in his mind.

_I don't want to die._

It scares him that he's trying to convince himself that it's true, but he can't help it. He knows how disappointed everyone would be if they had any idea that he still wished he'd pulled the trigger sometimes.

He's made it halfway through the parking lot before he freezes, staring blankly at the empty space staring back at him. He's not sure why Hodges would leave him out here in the middle of the desert, but the mere thought of it makes him crumple to the hot asphalt , unable to fight back anymore tears.

"Hey."

And it's not Hodges voice that makes him lift his head out of his hands and look up.

It's Warrick.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: I _really_ wanted to make it Grissom, but I just can't do it, because the two have clearly never resolved a thing on the show (obvious evidence in the fact that the two can't even share a hug, and even more so when Grissom just goes and tells Nick that it's over…). Which means we get a bit more resolution for Nick and Warrick in the next chapter. Sorry it took so long to post this, but I just graduated, from high school, last Sunday (May 20th, and life has been crazy this whole month). Thanks for the reviews. 


	49. Grave Danger Part 7

* * *

"W-what are you doing here?"

Warrick doesn't answer right away, trying his best to ignore the fact that Nick hasn't moved. It's hard to stand there, and the silence he's creating is nothing _but_ awkward. All he knows is that he's supposed to be able to come up with something to say to help make things better.

Except that's not really possible, and he isn't really sure that things will ever get remotely close to being normal again. Things had been going so well, and he can't hold in the barrage of curses that he wants nothing more than to scream out. Instead he holds them in, willing himself to calm down. Because no matter how badly he wants it; there's no way to change what's happened.

He already knows that he'll be carrying around the guilt of that coin flip for as long as he lives.

"You're my friend. I know that I was mad about you coming here, but… that doesn't mean that I won't be here for you."

The moment he saw Nick's shoulders begin to sag, and the tension start to fade ever so slightly, he made his move. It didn't take much effort to lead Nick to his car, although it was clear the man wasn't nearly as comfortable around the vehicle as he would have been.

Neither one spoke as Warrick hurried around to the other side, before climbing in. His eyes occasionally glanced over at Nick, trying to reassure himself that the man was doing okay. But the rigid stance, the way his eyes were closed and he rocked himself ever so slightly back and forth didn't help. It was just another thing to pile onto the list of phobias Nick had acquired.

Which made Warrick wonder if Nick had any idea how tense the air around them was. He gently bit down on his lip, momentarily wishing that the hell they were leaving was closer to Vegas. Every few moments he would turn to check on his friend, even though he already knew exactly what the man was doing. He didn't need to see the grimace on Nick's face, the pain etched there as if it would never fade away. He didn't need to turn to see that Nick's hand was resting on the window, that he had the vents for the AC turned right towards his face. That he was placing himself back in the box.

Even as he pulled up to Nick's home they didn't speak. Nick didn't waste any time fumbling for the door handle. The second he found it the door flew open and the man was already halfway across the lawn, heading for his home. Warrick didn't waste much time before he followed. Not wanting Nick to feel any more embarrassed than he probably already felt, he figured that it was best to forget everything he'd just seen in the car.

Although, deep down he knew that he couldn't bring it up, even if he wanted to. There just wasn't any tactical way of bringing that monster up to the surface. No one really knew how to broach the subject, and even if someone did, the only two people that Nick felt somewhat comfortable with were himself and Catherine.

"My parents ought to be here soon."

Warrick paused, unsure if he wanted to see them again. It had stung to see them standing in the hallway, holding onto each other. The sight of them already grieving for their son had been a major blow to his own hope that Nick was going to make it out alive. And, while he knew better than to judge, he couldn't help but feel that they had already given up on him- on all of them. He had his doubts about it now, but at the time he'd been so certain that they hadn't expected to ever see Nick alive again.

Which was exactly why he was so uncomfortable around them. He didn't like the way they pushed Nick to do something he didn't want to do. He didn't like how they tried to help him get past his fears so that he could be back to normal.

Unable to stand the silence any longer Nick finally managed to push the words out, "I… I think I'm gonna go back there, for a while. It might be good to see everyone again, ya know? I mean, the kids are all on break for the summer, and… well, I think I'm gonna go."

There was a look in his eyes that immediately surprised Warrick. He hadn't seen it in so long, and it nearly made him shudder because he didn't want Nick to think he needed his approval of the idea. At first he was almost tempted to tell him that he shouldn't go. That he should stick it out in Vegas. That it'd be like running away. Except he knew that the problem wasn't that it wouldn't help Nick.

The problem was that it wouldn't help the team.

They weren't comfortable around each other anymore. They didn't have actual conversations that consisted of much more than small talk. He felt like they were still losing him, and that there was nothing any of them could do about it.

And then he felt the inevitable wave of guilt come crashing back down, hitting with even more force each time. Because now he had the fact that he was still being so selfish to add to it.

"Yeah… maybe it'll do you some good." And he had to bite his lip to stop himself from taking back those words.

The look of relief in Nick's eyes was enough to make it worthwhile, though. No matter how much it hurt, he knew he had given Nick what he'd wanted. Though the question of whether or not he was making the right decision still lingered.

Before he could say anything else, he heard the door behind them swing open, and the voices of Nick's parents putting an abrupt end to the looming silence. They were all over Nick in an instant, asking him all sorts of questions about how he was feeling. Pestering him with all sorts of comments and quick pats so that they'd be able to touch their own son and constantly reaffirm the fact that he was actually there.

"I'll see you later." Was the last acknowledgment he received before Nick turned his attention back to his parents, and telling them that he was fine.

So Warrick did the only thing he could. He left, offering Nick the best smile he could muster before heading out the door, closing it firmly behind him. It wasn't until he was back in his car that he felt the tears brimming in his eyes, trying their best to break free.

Just a few hours ago he had hoped that by going there, going to that prison to support Nick, he'd be able to fix him. He wanted to set things right, to settle everything, or at least some of the problems. Because he knew that they weren't about to fix themselves.

They never did.

And as he pulled away, driving towards his own home, he let a few tears fall, wishing the whole time that he could have done something to make everything better.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Notes: While this is the end of Grave Danger, it isn't going to just go away and be forgotten as I head into season 6. However, since I still have a bit of hope that some more resolution will be given to Nick someday, I'm going to be putting this story on a temporary hiatus until I can determine how I want to handle season 6. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thanks for all the reviews. 


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